On Parole
by FatManDan
Summary: A slice-of-life story about Electronique.  No action planned. Just a story about how the electric villainess tries to cope with life on parole and we get to learn a bit more about her as well.  Rated T just in case but probably unnecessary.
1. Chapter 1

**Exitus**

"Ninety seven, ninety eight, ninety nine, one hundred."  
>Electronique pushed the weights up one last time and her spotter hooked them in place.<br>"Heads up, the hacks are coming this way."  
>"Thanks."<br>The electrical villainess sat up and sure enough, a half-squad of guards were coming her way.  
>"Hey, Sparky! Go get cleaned up, the warden wants a word with you."<br>"Don't call me Sparky. I've got a name, you know."  
>"Yeah, yeah. But I like Sparky better so you just shut up and get to the showers."<br>Electronique shrugged.  
>The Go City Womens' Maximum Security Correctional Facility for Super Powered Criminals (or the 'Bitch Bin' as it was more commonly known) was no different from any other prison in the world. The guards could find dozens of ways, if not hundreds, to make life for a prisoner difficult.<br>For some reason they had decided to give the woman with the blue-grey skin a bit of grief today.  
>That surprised her. The last years she had been a model prisoner even after the effects of the attitudinator had worn off. Her continued good behaviour was from sheer habit at first but later became a means to an end.<br>"Do you mind?"  
>They had reached the showers and the guards seemed intent on going with her.<br>"We don't mind at all. We'll just wait here while you shower."  
>Once again they were doing this just to annoy her. Privacy was a commodity more precious than gold in the Bitch Bin and the guards knew this. By denying it to Electronique the uniformed women made sure she was made aware of how little she was in charge here.<br>The one advantage she got out of the shower, except getting cleaned up, was an opportunity to take her goggles off. The noise of the shower blocked some of the guards' snide comments. And the flow of water reduced and blurred the sharp, garish images if electric patterns and magnetic fields that were always visible to her.  
>Just to irk the hacks, Electronique took her time and it gave her some small satisfaction when the boss guard finally told her it was enough already.<br>They herded her back to her cell. Still no privacy. Three packs of cigarettes were on the bed.  
>"<em>Good girl, paying what you owe." <em>Toxine, a fellow inmate, had lost a game of poker a week back and had paid up as she'd promised.  
>Electronique got dressed and stuffed the smokes in her pocket.<br>"You've kept the warden waiting long enough, Sparky. Get that blue ass of yours moving!"  
>The chief guard pushed Electronique hard with her truncheon and the villainess spun around to face the five guards.<br>"You want a fight, Sparky? Come on, we've got what it takes!" The uniformed women grinned, trying to provoke their opponent.  
>"Let's go see the warden." Electronique snarled, not because she was afraid but because she didn't want to give the guards the satisfaction of a chance to beat her up.<p>

The warden, she was never called anything else by guards and prisoners alike, was an older, hard bitten woman who did everything by the book. That at least made her predictable and more or less fair. Her greatest failing was that she tended to trust her staff to be as disciplined as herself.  
>"Have a seat, Electronique. It seems I have some good news for you. Bad news for society if I know you, and I think I do."<br>The warden didn't even try to conceal her contempt for the criminals in her charge.  
>Electronique in turn didn't even bother to reply although she was curious about the good news.<br>"_Don't get your hopes up." _She thought. "_Optimism is uncalled for."_  
>The warden produced a binder with documents and began to read aloud.<p>

"The Parole Commission have decided that Prisoner 1129 of the Go City Womens' Maximum Security Correctional Facility for Super Powered Criminals, Veronica Iordanescu, has shown sufficient improvement in behaviour, displayed a willingness to adapt to society and has been granted parole under the Grant Act of 1998, with the following conditions:  
>1: Veronica Iordanescu may not take up permanent residence in Go City for the duration of the parole.<br>2: She must report on a weekly basis to her appointed parole officer (See Attachment A).  
>3: She must list and report all and any possessionownership of electrical equipment or equipment potentially usable to construct devices in relation to the super powers displayed by V. Iordanescu.  
>4: She will agree to partake in the Reentry Program (See Attachment B, Attachment C) and report the results to her parole officer.<br>5: She may not engage in any criminal activity of any kind.  
>Should V. Iordanescu fail to comply with the above conditions she will be returned to Go City Womens' Maximum Security Correctional Facility for Super Powered Criminals, with any relevant time of imprisonment for crimes committed, added to the remainder of her sentence."<p>

The warden looked up from the papers.  
>"Congratulations, Electronique. Or should I call you Veronica? You're getting out of here. Not that I expect it to last, but allow me to say that no one would be happier than me if I never ever saw you inside my prison again."<br>"On that we agree, Ma'am." Electronique had to bite her lip hard to keep herself from jumping up and cheering loudly at the news. This really was good news! Playing the role of a model prisoner had actually paid off.  
>"One more thing. This came for you when word got out that you were getting paroled."<br>The warden handed Electronique a paper.  
>She read it once and she read it twice.<br>"This is a restraining order!"  
>"You don't say? Seems you have to keep your distance, doesn't it?"<br>"But it is not fair!"  
>"If you violate the restraining order you've failed to comply with your parole conditions."<br>"I know that."  
>"So stop whining and get out of my prison."<br>The warden handed Electronique the parole papers and the guards hustled the villainess out of the office.

It was with very mixed feelings that Electronique found herself on a bus to Middleton. The ticket had been Attachment C.  
>Although happy to be out of prison the restraining order weighed heavily on her. She had planned to simply ignore the parole conditions and start doing her thing again. That's what was expected of her. As an electrical super villainess and general evil genius she had a certain reputation to maintain after all.<br>That restraining order ruined it all. It was the one thing that forced her to play it the way the Law wanted it.  
>If she didn't comply now she might never have the restraining order removed.<br>She would appeal to have it overturned, of course. Failing that she simply had to bite the proverbial bullet and be a good citizen for eighteen months.  
>A few hours later the bus arrived in Middleton where a small committee had gathered to greet her.<br>A young, Asian man in a Global Justice uniform stepped up first.  
>"Veronica Iordanescu, a.k.a Electronique? I'm agent Will Du. I am your appointed parole officer for the duration of the sentence."<br>"Charmed, I'm sure." Electronique didn't look charmed at all. "_He's just a kid. How old can he be? 22, 23? And I'm supposed to report to him?"_  
>The other people were from the Reentry Program and from Middleton University.<br>The Reentry Program was one of those things whipped up to get criminals adjusted to a law abiding life and become 'productive members of society'. Electronique scoffed at the very idea.  
>Her spirits rose slightly when it was revealed that they had arranged for Middleton University to take her in as an employee. Since she held a degree in electrical engineering Electronique was pleased at the prospect of working in an academic environment again.<br>As quickly as her spirits had begun to rise, they dropped when she was informed that she would work as a caretaker on campus.  
>"A handyman? I am to be a...a minion?" She bristled at the insult.<br>The men from the university and the Reentry Program shied away from the outburst.  
>"I'll have you know I have received special training in dealing with extraordinary opponents." Will Du said as he stepped in between Electronique and the others.<br>"And any act of violence or threat thereof is a violation of your parole."  
>Electronique sighed and her shoulders fell in resignation.<br>"Very well. If I must, I must. I will be a henchwoman at your University."  
>"No no, it will be a proper job and you will be paid." the man from Reentry explained. "We've even arranged for an apartment for you here in Middleton. There are also counselling classes for ex-villains every Wednesday. They are voluntary but I really think they could do you a lot of good, Miss Iordanescu."<br>"I'll consider it."  
>She considered it for a tenth of a second and dismissed the idea.<br>They drove to the Reentry Program offices to fill in more papers and wrap up some final formalities.  
>"How about you come in to the University next Monday? That would give you some time to settle in before you begin your new employment."<br>"I will come in this Monday, thank you. I might as well get this show on the road right away."  
>"A commendable attitude, Miss Iordanescu."<br>"Why is it so hard for people to call me Electronique?"

The apartment they had provided was far from impressive. It was a single room and a kitchenette. Electronique used some of her small savings to buy cheap furniture, some clothes and several rolls of tinfoil from Smarty Mart.  
>She put the tinfoil up on the walls by her bed to block out the electronic patters at least partially so she could sleep without her goggles.<br>"_Welcome to the outside world, Electronique. Don't you feel welcome?"_ she thought bitterly before she turned the lights out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Working Nine to Five**

Middleton University wasn't really a bad place to work, nor was the work particularly difficult. But to an electrical engineer like Electronique it was quite humiliating. It hurt her considerable pride to have to do jobs best left to henchmen. Like all villains worth their salt, her ego was as bloated as it was brittle.  
>"<em>I'm way to overqualified for this. This must be an all-time low."<em>  
>Most of the time she was left to herself. Word had gotten out on who she was and why was working at MU. Although she had to wear ugly, green overalls she carried herself with as much arrogance as she could muster while fixing blocked pipes or greasing window hinges. In combination with her reputation it was enough to make most students to scurry away or at least pretend to be busy doing something other than interact with the new caretaker with the weird skin colour.<br>Electronique was secretly pleased that she still could instill, if not abject terror, then at least unease in 'normal' people.  
>Every Friday she would meet with her parole officer. Although he was pompous and self important, Will Du was also a reliable guy and actually seemed to take his task seriously. He was also a stickler for protocol and doing things 'by the book'. That made him boring but at least she knew what to expect.<br>"So...about your list of electronic equipment in your apartment."  
>"Yes, what of it?"<br>"Telephone, TV-set and a few lamps?"  
>"Yes. But I use candles when I can. The stove uses gas."<br>"Care to tell me why?"  
>"No I don't care to, but I guess you will insist."<br>"Look, Miss Iordanescu..."  
>"Electronique. Call me Electronique."<br>"Well, Electronique, if we are to make this parole work as it is intended to I am required to try to make communications between us as open as possible."  
>Electronique sighed with exasperation.<br>"Yes, yes. Fine, I'll tell you. I don't use electronic devices more than I have to because it is easier to relax without them and, frankly, under these circumstances I do not need any excitement that tempts me to get some criminal work done. It also keeps you people from nosing around my home all the time."  
>Agent Du took notes while he listened to Electronique's little rant. When she was agitated her accent became more pronounced.<br>"I am glad we have that sorted out. That will be all then. Good luck at work and see you next week."

The following weeks came and went and Electronique was beginning to chafe under dull the dull everyday routine.  
>One Wendesday she was sitting on a stepladder in a corridor, fixing a faulty light strip. She'd pushed her goggles up so she could see every single path of the electron flow overlapped over her field of vision. It made repairs so much easier and on this small scale it didn't give her a headache.<br>One of the labs had the door open and she could feel the comforting smell of ozone and she heard voices talking.  
>"But if we can't contain it the whole thing will blow up."<br>"That would be kinda cool though."  
>"We'll flunk the course if we have nothing to show but an explosion. Not so cool."<br>"Yeah, I know. So what do we do?"  
>"Dunno. The field just isn't strong enough and we aren't allowed to drain the city grid for more power. Mom and dad said so."<br>"Maybe they won't notice... OK. Bad idea."  
>Electronique climbed down from her lofty position and looked into the lab. Two teenage boys sat looking at a small force field projector. Apparently they'd made it themselves from the looks of it.<br>"_Not half bad."_ She had to admit. The power generator attached to it looked big enough but she saw what was wrong right away. Her electronic and engineering genius and her ego couldn't resist the temptation.  
>"You can not use alternating or direct current. The entropic power bleed is too great."<br>The boys looked up and saw the woman with the blue-grey skin and weird goggles in the doorway.  
>"But there aren't any other kinds of current, Miss."<br>"Yes there is. Just use a Schroedinger Trinary Sub-Observational current."  
>"Err...there's no such thing...right?"<br>Electronique bit her lip.  
>"<em>What am I doing? I shouldn't be talking about stuff like this. I should stick to my job and get this parole over with." <em>She looked over her shoulder. Good, seems no one was around to hear her.  
>"No, of course not. No such thing. I just made a joke."<br>She folded the step ladder and picked it up.  
>"Just forget it, OK? Good boys."<br>Electronique walked off, hoping the boys would shut up about the brief conversation.  
>Jim and Tim Possible looked at each other across their field projector.<br>"That was weird. But interesting."  
>"Uh-huh. Wanna do the numbers and see if it would actually work?"<br>"Hicka bicka boo!"  
>"Hooh-sha!"<p>

Friday finally came along with her first paycheck.  
>"<em>Oh, you have to be kidding me!" <em>Compared to her previous criminal income this was less than ten minutes worth of work.  
>"<em>To think that I used to have an entire metropolis trembling at the mention of my name and the heroes of Go City getting the fights of their lives just to stop me from just take millions of dollars! And now this. I get a paycheck and I pay taxes. I'm a joke, not a villainess. No, even worse. I'm a citizen!"<em>  
>Electronique was feeling so low after this realization that she couldn't muster up the energy to be sarcastic and snarky when she had her weekly chat with Agent Du. Unfortunately the latter had bad news for her.<br>"I'm afraid your appeal to have the restraining order overturned has been rejected, Electronique."  
>"Oh."<br>"Look, this can't come as a big surprise to you, can it? I mean look at your career..."  
>"Yes, I know."<br>"Look, I'll send the appeal in for you again when it's eligible, all right?"  
>"Yes. All right. I'm going home now."<br>"See you next week. And don't do anything stupid, OK, Electronique?"  
>"I'm going to get drunk."<br>"Uh...I see."  
>After the meeting she had gone straight to the liquor store and bought a bottle of wine.<br>About halfway through the bottle, she realized she really needed someone to talk to.  
>The problem was that a villainess didn't have any friends.<br>"_I could call Aviarius I guess..."_ She dismissed the thought almost as soon as she'd formed it. The bird-villain was not only a complete and utter prat but also pretty disgusting.  
>"<em>Shego? Not likely!"<em> Shego had gone all 'save the world with Drakken' on the villain community a while back when the Lorwardians showed up and did their thing. Besides Electronique knew the green skinned woman would probably just mock her and hang up.  
>With no villains to talk to that only left her with one option...<br>A quick call to Information gave her the number. She hesitated a long time before she finally made the call.

"Go Tower, Hego speaking!"  
>The deep voice was as annoyingly loud and cheery as she'd remembered.<br>Electronique was quiet for a while, thinking about what to say.  
>"Hello? Anybody there?"<br>"Yes, it is me. Electronique."  
>"Electronique? You've overcome the effects of the attitudinator and have escaped prison and now you call to threaten Team Go?"<br>Since she was drunk she lost her temper rather than just groan in annoyance.  
>"Oh, fine! That's how it is? We've been enemies for over a decade and this is how you act when I call you? I might as well just hang up if years of trying to destroy each other means so little to you!"<br>She slammed the phone down and hung up.  
>"<em>That went well. Not!" <em>She poured herself another glass of wine. "_What the hell was I thinking? Of course he doesn't want to talk to me."_  
>The phone rang. She looked at it for a few moments while it rang some more.<p>

She picked up.  
>"Hello?"<br>"Electronique? It's Hego."  
>"Oh. Umm..."<br>"Are you OK? You sounded a little drunk?"  
>"So what if I'm drunk? I can get drunk if I want to, can't I?"<br>"Sure you can. I'm just surprised you called me."  
>"That makes two of us."<br>"So...how come I can't see you on the screen?"  
>"Calling from my home telephone. How'd you find my number?"<br>"Go Tower has Caller ID."  
>"Ah, of course."<br>"Wait a minute, home telephone? So you have broken out of prison?"  
>"No, I'm on parole."<br>"Aha. That's good I guess. Hey, speaking of good, are you still good? I just remembered the attitudinator."  
>"No, the effects wore off. I'm me again."<br>"Oh. Congratulations, I guess?"  
>She chuckled a little. Heroes. Always trying to be good and say nice things. It was comfortingly familiar.<br>"Anyway, the reason I called you,Hego...well, I don't have a real reason, I just needed to talk to someone."  
>"Hey, good thing you called me! I'm a hero, doing good is what I do best!"<br>After that things went better. Electronique and Hego talked for quite a while. Mostly old memories and recounting how they'd bested each other in various ways through the years. It helped her take her mind off the disappointments in her life and it was well past midnight when they decided to call it a night.  
>"It's getting late, I think I should get some sleep."<br>"You do that Electronique. Good night...or is evil night more appropriate? What's proper form here?"  
>"Let's just go with good night for both of us."<br>"All right. Good night then, Electronique."  
>"Good night, Hego."<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**Consequences of a live ill lived.**

When she woke up the morning after her talk with Hego, Electronique felt more embarrassed than she had in a very long time.  
>"<em>He must've thought I was perfectly ridiculous. This will be so awkward next time we fight."<em>  
>To distract herself she spent most of the Saturday in bed, eating ice cream and reading poetry.<br>Of course all the ice cream made her feel bad about herself even though it was very tasty. Consequently on Sunday she got up very early, went for a two hour jog and did double the amount of her regular exercises to make up for the extra calories.  
>To her mind, a proper villainess should do her best to stay fit and in fighting shape. It was handy both inside and outside of prison.<p>

Monday came and saw more work. The culverts under MU had been left unattended for a long long time and Electronique figured cleaning up there would give her a good excuse to stay away from people for the duration of the week.  
>It was amazing how much junk people had stuffed down there through the years. Electronique found an old <em>Radarange<em> microwave oven, scores of file cabinets, still filled with documents by the looks of it, microscopes, a dozen empty beer kegs, a stack of vintage dirty magazines and much, much more.  
>The undertaking held some adventures too, albeit petty. Using a broom, some cleverly applied static electricity and a tiny toy-bassoon she battled and successfully evicted a warren of voles who had occupied a cupboard deep in the bowels of Middleton University.<br>Although several of the lights in the culverts were out it didn't bother her. To a woman who could see, at least partially, into the electromagnetic spectrum darkness was not really an issue.  
>Therefore it was easy for her to spot the beam of a flash light long before she was spotted herself.<br>By now it was already Thursday and Electronique sat on an overturned bucket in the gloom, taking a short break. It was time to go home soon anyway.  
>"Hello? Miss...um... miss caretaker lady? Are you there?"<br>She didn't bother to reply. It sounded like the boys with the field generator from last week. They had probably blown something up and wanted her to clean the mess up. With a little luck they would take to the left at the junction and wander off towards the primary heat exchangers.  
>A little luck apparently wasn't enough as she found herself in the spotlight a few moments later.<br>"There she is!"  
>"Hey, Miss Caretaker. We were looking for you."<br>The teen boys' voices were as cheery and upbeat as Hego's but for some reason they annoyed Electronique more.  
>"You found me. What do you want? A reward?"<br>"No, actually we already got one thanks to you." The boys high-fived each other.  
>"That is all very nice. What did I do to get you a reward? Empty the trash cans?"<br>"Wow. She's snarky."  
>"Do you know a girl named Bonnie?"<br>"No. Look, what do you want?"  
>The boys grinned and held out a small coupon booklet.<br>"Thanks to your idea about using a Schroedinger Trinary Sub-Observational current we got our field projector to contain an anti-space for almost five seconds. It got us an award. So we figured we'd give you these coupons for Paul Bunyan's Pancake Haus. You know, just to say thanks."  
>Electronique looked at the offered coupon booklet and only after a few moments did she take it.<br>"Hm. What happened after the five seconds?"  
>"Um..."<br>"Err..."  
>"The field collapsed because a fuse burnt out, right?"<br>"Yeah and the anti-space ate the generator."  
>"Figures. OK, kids, the culverts aren't for students to fool around in. I'll follow you back out. And thanks for the coupons."<br>"Actually, were' not kids. We're sixteen." The boys objected.  
>"Sixteen is kids. Besides, if you're sixteen, how come you're in college already?"<br>"We're geniuses!" The boys said in chorus.  
>"You don't say."<br>Electronique followed the teenagers out. It was time for her to go home anyway.  
>The halls were all but deserted and she could hear the teen boys yammer away happily about something long after they had gone down one hallway and Electronique down another.<br>She got out of her overalls and headed for the exit.  
>Just as she was about to open the doors and head down the big stairs she stopped dead in her tracks from what she saw through the glass panes.<br>One of those boys was outside, talking to a dark haired girl in the school uniform of the Upperton Boarding School for Girls.  
>A girl who was closer to Electronique than one hundred yards.<br>Just by standing there, watching, Electronique was violating her parole and the restraining order.  
>Electronique was completely at a loss of what to do.<br>She wanted to rush out and hug her daughter but if she did and someone found out she would find herself spending the remaining seven years of her sentence in the Bitch Bin.  
>When Julia said something her mother couldn't hear through the glass, smiled and kissed the boy on the cheek, Electronique bit her lip so hard she could feel the skin break and a trickle of blood run down her chin. She wanted to just run out there and do...something. Something bad.<br>Every villainous instinct in her screamed for a disproportionate reaction. Her maternal instincts wanted her to go out and warn her daughter about boys.  
>"<em>She's too young! She shouldn't be dating! She's...sixteen already."<em>  
>The realization hit her like a blow.<br>The consequences of all those years doing villain stuff, all that time spent in jail had finally dawned on her.  
>"<em>I never took the time to see my baby grow up."<em>  
>Defeated, Electronique turned around and walked away. She would use the side exit instead. That should be enough to satisfy the restraining order. Suddenly it didn't feel so unfair.<br>"_I've been a lousy mother. I've never been there for her, why should I have any right to intrude on her life now? How many birthdays and Christmases have I missed just because I was caught up in my own, evil life? Julia deserves someone better than me."_  
>The walk home felt like it lasted for ever.<p>

The following day was lost to Electronique in a gloom of depression. She went through the motions at work and working out on auto pilot. When her parole officer asked what was the matter she lied and said she had a headache.  
>Will Du let it go at that.<br>When she got home she looked at the telephone again and again.  
>"<em>I can't call Hego. It would be silly. This a family matter, it doesn't concern him. Besides, it's not like I don't deserve feeling bad."<em>  
>Electronique lay on her bed, staring at the tinfoil covered ceiling. She wished she could blame someone else for this. It was usually so easy for a villainess to do.<p>

The fact that she couldn't find a scapegoat felt like just another failure in her life.  
>Sleep didn't come until the early morning hours.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Friday**

"Home now!" Jim Possible shouted as he stepped in the door.  
>His nostrils were immediately assailed by delicious smells that made his mouth water. It could only mean one thing: Kim was home for a visit and Ron was with her.<br>Whenever Ron was in the house he would repay years of eating at the Possible's by cooking meals, something at which he excelled.  
>Kim poked her head out of the kitchen where she'd been keeping Ron company.<br>"Hey, Jim."  
>"How can you tell them apart?" Ron said from deeper inside the kitchen "I mean I've known them since they were little and I still can't tell who's Jim and who's Tim."<br>"D-uh! Just look at them!"  
>Ron looked out as well.<br>"Them?"  
>Kim and Ron both looked at Jim.<br>"OK, so it's just Jim.  
>"Uh...hi?" Jim said, looking from his sister to her fiancé.<br>"Hey, Jimbo, where's your other you?"  
>"Yes, Jim, where's Tim?"<br>"Oh he'll be here in..." Jim looked at his watch. "About an hour and a half. When's dinner done, Ron? Do I have time to take a shower?"  
>"No problemo, twenty minutes to go." Ron gave Jim a thumbs up and ducked back in the kitchen to check the potatoes. "Or should we wait for Tim?"<br>"Nah, I'll try to leave something for him, I promise." Jim called as he hurried upstairs.  
>Kim's eyes narrowed.<br>"Ron, something is fishy."  
>"Uh, no, KP. It's beefy and potatoe-y and saucy and desserted. I mean desserty."<br>"I don't mean the food, I mean with the tweebs. They're never apart. Until now, I mean. And besides they both love your cooking. So why isn't Tim here?"  
>"Hmm...now that you mention it, KP. Why would he risk missing out on the Ronsters badical food?"<br>"My point, exactly."  
>Twenty minutes later Jim virtually jumped down the stairs to join his sister, Ron and his parents at the table.<br>"Jim, where is Tim?" James possible asked, alerted to the absence of the other twin by his daughter.  
>Jim threw Kim an annoyed look.<br>"Tim's...busy." He tried.  
>"Jim?" Ann Possible looked at her youngest child.<br>It was no use. Jim could not withstand the gaze of his mother.  
>"He's on a date. He'll be here in an hour or so. Can we eat now?"<br>"A date? Without telling us? Really!" James Possible tried his best to look stern.  
>"It's no big deal." Jim was quick to defend his twin. "He didn't know until yesterday, just after studies. She'll be on the commuter train to Lowerton in an hour and Tim'll back here right away."<br>"So, Jim..." Kim leaned closer, a sly smile on her lips. "Who is Tim dating? Someone I know maybe?" Kim might not be a highschooler anymore but she still liked gossip and she was curious about who could separate the tweebs.  
>"Ask Tim."<br>From the tone of Jim's voice Kim knew she wouldn't get more out of her brother. There was a limit to how much you could stretch the bond of loyalty between the twins.  
>She shrugged. She'd find out, one way or another.<p>

Across town, at Mad Mongoose Milkshake, Tim and his date were enjoying the company of each other. He had trouble finding words at first but he soon relaxed. That was just one of the things he liked about Julia. She was always patient and never laughed at him when he managed to say something stupid. She did laugh at his jokes though. That was so cool.  
>Tim and Julia had met by chance a Friday, a few weeks ago. He'd been on his way to get milkshakes for himself and his brother when he'd spotted a girl who'd dropped her mobile phone, breaking it. Being a gentleman, he'd offered to fix it without really thinking about it. After that they had started talking.<br>Julia lived in Lowerton with her dad and his new wife but Julia studied at the Upperton Boarding School for Girls. Unlike most girls she didn't find Tim's inherent geekyness a problem. If anything, she'd told him, it made her feel comfortable. Julia never elaborated on why, though and Tim didn't ask.  
>It was Julia who had asked Tim for his phone number. The following weeks they had talked on the phone a lot. First just a few times a week but soon they called each other every day and yesterday she had come all the way to Middleton just to ask him for a date, face to face.<br>"I don't want to do it over the phone. It would have felt like I was scared of asking, you know?" Julia laughed, blushing a little.  
>Tim didn't reply at first.<br>"Tim? Hello? Earth to Tim?" She waved her hand in front of his face. "What are you looking at?"  
>"You." Tim blurted out without thinking.<br>Julia laughed again.  
>"Do you like what you see?" She struck a mock-vain pose.<br>Julia had short, dark hair and blue-grey eyes. Her nose was long and quite sharp and her chin had a definite point. Her mouth was a little wider than would be expected on a somewhat narrow face and made it more open that it would have looked otherwise.  
>"Yes. I...uh...I like it a lot." Tim was blushing furiously now. He felt too forward and awkward.<br>"Aw, that's so sweet." Julia lowered her voice a little. "I like what I see too." Then she leaned across the table and gave him a little kiss on the cheek.  
>From that point on, their first real date went really well. He had followed her to the train to Lowerton and they held hands all the way.<br>Just before she got aboard the train she looked at him.  
>"Well?"<br>"Well...what?"  
>"Aren't you going to ask me for another date? I can't be your girlfriend until we've been on at least three dates. That's the rule, you know."<br>"_Girlfriend? She wants to be my girlfriend?" _Tim almost shouted out the tweeb trademark 'hicka-bicka-boo'. But since Julia wouldn't understand and Jim wasn't there to give him a 'hooh-shah' he restrained himself.  
>"Uh...yes, yeah. Of course. Want to go on a date with me, Julia? Like, a second one, I mean."<br>She giggled happily.  
>"Sure, I'll go on a second date with you. But this time you pick the place."<br>"OK, I will. I'll call you tonight?"  
>"Don't call too late."<br>"I won't, I promise."  
>Tim felt ten feet tall and as if he was walking on air all the way home.<br>He had barely gotten inside the door when he heard Jim ask from his place in front of the TV:  
>"Hicka-bicka-boo?"<br>Tim's happy reply came right away:  
>"Hooh-shah!"<br>When he went to join his brother by the TV, four pairs of eyes looked at him. Eyes that held questions that he would have to answer.  
>"Uh-oh..."<p>

In Go City, Hego had settled in for another lonely weekend. The Wego-twins were out with their friends and would spend the night away from Go Tower. Mego had stopped by to drop off his laundry before leaving for his dorm again. He also had complained that he had to be the one bringing the laundry to Hego.  
>"Why must I come all the way here? I have studies you know. You could pick it up on your way from Bueno Nacho."<br>Hego replied, as he always did, when Mego brought up the issue.  
>"Because the university is on the opposite side of town to where I'm going and you don't pay for the gasoline."<br>Once Mego had left Go Tower fell silent again, except for the faint humming of all the scanners, communication screens and similar devices which were always active.  
>Things had been awfully quiet lately. Aviaruis was still in hospital. A bad case of the bird flu of all things. No crimes to thwart from him.<br>His sister wasn't his jurisdiction and besides she didn't do much crime these days anyway, what with her being pregnant and all.  
>The new generation of villains of Go City weren't all that either, even though they thought so themselves. Go City PD handled them with embarrassing ease.<br>He was in the kitchen fixing a snack when he found himself thinking of Electronique. Maybe he should call her? Just for a chat, nothing more. At least they had some things in common. Like mutual enmity.  
>No. She'd been drunk and clearly out of sorts. She probably would be back to her usual hostile self again by now.<br>Hego sighed.  
>"<em>I'd rather have a fight with Electronique than spend another weekend watching TV? How's that for pathetic? I've got loads of awards from all over the world. I'm a celebrated hero and a role model for kids everywhere. I'm the manager at Bueno Nacho in Go City. Yet, here I am, complaining. Get a grip, Hego."<em>  
>He sat down in front of the Gargantuan Screen TV-set and started flipping through the channels, eventually settling for watching "Bricks of Fury VII: Night of the living bricks".<br>How come he didn't feel like getting that grip at all? 


	5. Chapter 5

**Temptations of Opportunity**

The weekend had been miserable but Electronique's ego just wouldn't allow her to give up and call in sick when Monday came around.  
>It was probably for the best anyway. Middleton University had clearly been short of genius level caretakers for years, decades or even since it was built. The challenge of keeping things running without a glitch was enough to take her mind off the worst of her gloomy thoughts.<br>Previous caretakers had apparently settled for 'good enough' but that wasn't how Electronique rolled.  
>"Who puts...a fuse...oof...ugh! A spider! Who puts a...fuse box in a ventilation...shaft?" She muttered to herself as she wiggled herself along what looked suspiciously like a Jefferies Tube.<br>When she finally found the fuse box she was covered in dust and grime. She was also sweaty and highly annoyed. Lying on her back in a junction of tubes she started changing the fuses, several of whom had burned out ages ago. It was only when the dean's office had suffered a complete blackout that anyone had bothered sending Electronique to do something about the problem.  
>"<em>This is maltreatment of electronics."<em>  
>She pushed her goggles up and her field of vision was flooded by sharp, clear lines in all colours of the spectrum and then some. It helped her a lot to see the flow of electricity when she was looking for broken connections or power drainage. To see the entire world in terms of electricity and magnetism was a bit too much though. It gave her migraines and virtually constant, low-key headaches, which was instrumental to her irritable and aggressive nature.<br>"_OK, little buddy, let's see what you are connected to and...oh. Ooh! Interesting!"_  
>She interrupted her villainous chuckle just in time when she realized what direction her thoughts had taken.<br>"_No. No, no, no. I won't. Uh-uh! Not going to happen!"_  
>But it would be so easy. All she needed was a few tweaks, run the intercept along the power line and hook it up to a remote control. Like the one she could easily build from her TV-remote.<br>"_I would have complete control of the Pleasant Valley Fusion Plant. I could hold the entire state hostage. I could make them do anything I want. Or else..."_  
>Once again she checked herself. After changing the fuses she crawled out of the air duct and tried to push her villainous ideas away by working hard.<br>It didn't work.  
>Time and time again she caught herself thinking about that wonderful, evil opportunity that beckoned. And every time she did, she already had her toolbox in hand.<br>"_This isn't working! I have to get out of here!"_  
>She clocked out and didn't stop to go home but went to the nearest phone booth.<p>

Hego had just come home from his civilian job at Bueno Nacho when the phone rang.  
>"<em>Probably Mego who wants to borrow more money." <em>He thought and let the phone ring for a while.  
>"<em>But then again, it could be a mission! Or maybe Electronique. Wait...why did I hope it would be her?"<em>  
>He picked up and to his surprise it was not only mission but it was also Electronique who called it in. On herself.<br>"I intend to take over the Pleasant Valley Fusion Plant. If you think you can stop me I'll be waiting for you at the Middleton Mall Coffee Shop."  
>Before Hego could reply to what was easily the most weird phone call he had ever received Electronique had hung up on him.<br>It was a challenge and, by golly, Hego would gladly meet it!  
>He hurried to the Go-Jet and tore towards Middleton at supersonic speed.<br>To get stoked he played "Eye of the tiger" on the CD-player on the way.  
>A little while later he landed the VTOL jet on the parking lot. Just as he was about to rush into the mall he realized he hadn't changed to his hero costume. Still, when villainy was afoot, jeans, sneakers and a T-shirt would have to do.<br>Hego walked into the coffee shop, looking around.  
>"Over here."<br>Electronique sat at a table deeper into the coffee shop, away from the windows.  
>"Oh. Um...I almost didn't recognize you."<br>"What gave me away?"  
>Hego missed her sarcastic tone completely. He was far too straightforward to pick up things like that which was one of the reasons he constantly irked both Shego and Mego.<br>"The goggles and your skin tone, really. I didn't know you had dark hair. I used to think those metal things on your head were your hair. And you're not wearing your villain outfit."  
>"Just sit down and order some coffee, will you?"<br>Hego did as he was told and was about to ask his long-time enemy what this was all about when she started to talk.  
>"The headgear is to protect my hair. Electricity and hair is a bad mix. 'Poof' and I look like an evil dandelion." She gestured around her head to show what she meant. "But now I just braid it. Easier that way."<br>Like most guys, Hego didn't really pay much attention to stuff like hairdos but when she pointed it out to him he saw that her long, dark hair was divided into lots of thin braids. It actually looked quite good on her.  
>"Ooh, I see. Yeah, that makes sense." He said. "But, um, how did you recognize me? I forgot my Go-uniform."<br>"Gee...let me see. A jet lands in the parking lot where everyone can see it. It has the words 'Team Go' stencilled on the side. And a few moments later a guy, about six foot eight, with the same dark hair and the same build as Hego comes into the coffee shop where I asked you to meet me. It was easy to spot you."  
>"Haha, yes...well, you said you needed stopping so I just rushed out to catch you." Hego scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed.<br>"Good thing you did too or I would have gone and done it."  
>They were interrupted by the waiter who brought them their orders.<br>For a few moments they sipped at their coffee in silence. Eventually Hego couldn't wait any longer.  
>"Look, Electronique this is kind of confusing. This isn't like you at all. Why would you want me to stop you?"<br>"Because if you don't I'll be violating my parole. That would make you sort of an accomplice to the crime, you know."  
>Hego looked at the woman in front of him, aghast.<br>"So that's your nefarious plan! You intend to blackmail me into stopping your evil...no, wait. That doesn't make sense at all."  
>"I'm glad we agree on that."<br>"What I meant was that you've never cared about parole before. You just went along and did your thing as if you would get away with it every time."  
>Electronique frowned. Even though her eyes were not visible behind her goggles her face was remarkably expressive and Hego realized he'd hit a nerve there.<br>"What do you mean by that? I spent half my life in prison. I never got away with anything! Don't think I'm too stupid to know what I'm getting myself into!"  
>He held up his hands in front of him..<br>"Whoa, easy there, Electronique. I didn't mean it like that."  
>"Well, that's how it sounded to me." She said, and sounded quite sulky.<br>"What changed? Why do you care about sticking to your parole this time?"  
>"I...don't have to tell you."<br>"No, but I'd much rather help you if I knew why."  
>"I don't want you to help me! I just want you to stop me from going through with my evil plan! Just do what you always do!"<br>"Pipe down! Everyone is staring at you."  
>"Hmph, you started it."<br>"Tell you what, I'll ask nicely and promise not to tell anyone, sounds fair?"  
>Electronique leaned back and looked at Hego for a long time. If it had been anyone else she would have just laughed in his face, at the very least. But if there was one thing she'd learned throughout their years of enmity it was that Hego was honest to a fault.<br>"Fine. Ask nicely."  
>"OK, here goes: Please tell me why you don't want to violate your parole this time, Electronique. I promise I won't tell anyone."<br>Electronique took a deep breath and talked very fast before she could change her mind.  
>"It's because I have a restraining order and I'm not allowed within a hundred yards of my only daughter. If I violate my parole I'll go back to prison and not see her again for at least seven more years and possible never, ever again because they might extend the duration of the restraining order for as long as they like. That's why I want my parole to run it's course. Satisfied?"<br>Hego blinked.  
>"You have a daughter?"<br>Electronique groaned.  
>"Yes, I do. I told you so a few seconds ago."<br>Hego stood up, struck a heroic pose and proudly proclaimed:  
>"It is my heroic duty to support you through this ordeal and give you a fair chance to reenter society as a productive member of...uh...society I guess. I solemnly swear to foil all your evil plans and would you like to go see a movie with me on Saturday?"<br>"Shh! Not so loud! You were the one who told me to pipe down and...wait. What was that last part?"  
>"Would you like to go to the movies with me? On Saturday."<br>"_I must be mad." _Electronique thought. "_My mind is going."_  
>To her surprise she heard herself say:<br>"Yes, I'd like that."


	6. Chapter 6

**Like Smiles in the Rain**

The rest of the week went by rather smoothly. Electronique didn't feel too evil and the temptation felt less important. What did bother her however was the coming Saturday.  
>"<em>He's my enemy and here we act like we're going on a date!" <em>Then she remembered how things had turned out in that coffee shop.  
>"<em>Oh no! We've already been on one date and I'm the one who asked him out! I'm too old and too evil for this!"<em>  
>Yet, despite her misgivings and failed attempts at convincing herself to make up an excuse and call the movie night off, Electronique found herself in a nice blouse, dark jeans and fresh make-up, waiting for Hego to show up outside the Middleton Cinema Centre.<br>"_I can still stand him up. It's not illegal and it is kind of evil." _It was a last ditch attempt to preserve her image but, predictably, she didn't leave. 

Back in Go Tower in turn had troubles of his own in justifying asking Electronique out.  
>"<em>We've been trying to destroy each other for a dozen years now. And she's tried to turn me and my family evil with that attitudinator-ray. Why would I want to go see a movie with her? We should be duking it out in down town Go City, not going to the movies. What was I thinking?"<em>  
>Mego and Shego would have said "You weren't thinking. That's just you being you." and maybe they would have been right.<br>Even so, there he was, on his way to a date with his enemy. 

The truth of the matter was that after all this time as world renowned hero and villainess neither Hego nor Electronique had any really close friends. Hego had lots of admirers and fans but friends were few and far between. Electronique was just plain cranky and dangerous. That didn't bring many friends or fans. When you don't have friends you turn to your enemies. At least there were common experiences of hostility so share. Or so it was supposed to be at least.

"Oh, you're here. I was afraid you'd stand me up. You know, what with you being evil and all."  
>"And I was hoping I could find an excuse to call it off because I knew you'd say something like that."<br>"Really?"  
>"No. Let's go inside."<br>Deciding on what film to see took a while. Hego wanted to see 'Triassic Zoo' but Electronique didn't really like films about dinosaurs, much less about orthoceratites. She suggested 'Corsairs of the Bahamas'. Hego didn't like Jimmy Derp as an actor and found the character Bob Shrike to be silly and unconvincing.  
>For lack of better they settled for 'The hypersonic and the hysterical' which allegedly was a fast-paced action movie.<br>As it turned out they had chosen a movie that neither of them liked.  
>"That was so stupid! Why would he try to fix the car with a bucket of quiche?"<br>"And that scene with the hippopotamus in the Ferris wheel, what was that all about?  
>They laughed derisively together.<br>"I'm sorry I made you sit through it. I don't know where the 'fast-paced' was supposed to be but I didn't notice it.  
>"Yeah, I'm supposed to be the evil one here and even I felt bad about agreeing to watch that piece of tripe."<br>When Hego and Electronique came out from the cinema the rain was pouring down.  
>"Whoa. Um...wait here, I'll run and get the car so you don't have to get soaked." Hego offered.<br>"No!"  
>"Uh...what?" Hego stopped at the strangely eager and happy tone in Electroniques voice.<br>"It's raining! Here, hold these!" She yanked her goggles off and for the first time ever Hego saw the eyes of a woman he'd known for years. Her eyes were a sharp shade of blue that could only be described as electric, fittingly enough.  
>Electronique then stepped out into the parking lot, her face turned skywards, a smile unlike any other Hego had seen on her face.<br>He had seen her smirk, grin, sneer and even laugh but this was different. For a brief moment the original Electronique, before she had turned to evil, was showing.  
>"Ooh...I love it." She said.<br>"Love what? You're getting drenched out there." Hego called and hurried over.  
>""This." Electronique swept her arm out, encompassing the entire world.<br>"What? I don't see anything."  
>"But I do. I see it all. And it doesn't hurt my eyes and it doesn't give me a headache. The rain makes it all blur into a wonderful, fuzzy rainbow. I can see glare of electricity muted to romantic candle lights. The sheets of transmissions from that transponder mast is just a flimsy, shimmering ghost of light against the backdrop of the evening sky! And there!" She pointed straight up. "Far, far away the Van Allen Belts like a huge, everlasting blanket wrapping all the planet up, snug and cuddly keeping the cold of space away!"<br>Hego didn't understand much of what Electronique was saying but he realized he loved hearing her voice talk about all those things. Her accent grew stronger and she spoke in a dreamy, sing-song voice. When she turned to face him, her smile and the happiness in her eyes suddenly made sitting through that atrocious movie well worth the effort.  
>"I'm so glad I didn't stand you up." Electronique said. "I really am. Thanks for asking me out, Hego. It's much, much more fun to have someone to tell what I'm seeing."<br>"Hey, I'm happy to be here." He smiled when he realized he really meant what he had said.  
>"Come, let's walk to the car."<br>Hego decided to ignore the falling rain and his ever wetter clothes. Electronique would point out to different things and describe how much better they looked in the rain. Descriptions of a world Hego could never hope to see, but he could share it through her eyes.  
>They were totally soaked when they reached Hego's car and there was an embarrassing moment for the both of them. First because Electroniques thin blouse looked like it belonged in a wet T-shirt contest, making Hego acutely aware of the face that Electronique was very much a woman. Secondly because it occurred to them that they had been holding hands for the last part of the walk.<br>"Umm... here are your goggles back."  
>"Th...thanks."<br>"Maybe I should take you home now?"  
>"Maybe you should."<br>The drive back to Electroniques place was filled with awkward silence. Neither of them knew what to say even though both knew they ought to say something.  
>Hego stopped the car outside Electronique's door.<br>"Well... here we are." He said.  
>"Thanks for the ride."<br>"No problem."  
>"Call me?"<br>"Yes, of course."  
>Electronique got out and walked to her door.<br>"_Damn! Why didn't I kiss him?"_  
>She looked over her shoulder, watching Hego drive off.<br>"_Damn! Why didn't I kiss her?"_ He thought.  
>Night had fallen, leaving villainess and hero alone with their thoughts and emotions.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

**On evil and pancakes**

Just like he had promised, Hego called her. A few days later Electronique had called him in return. The conversations were nice and they both looked forward to talking to each other. But they both knew something had changed between them after that night on the parking lot. A change that made them both tense and unsure what to say and do. Hego would say something stupid a bit more often than before. Electronique would snap at him for it a bit more harshly than she had previously.  
>In the end they had to deal with it and it was Electronique who decided to bring the issue up.<br>"Hego? We need to talk." She said one evening while they were on the phone.  
>"But we are talking right now, right?." Electronique could hear the insecurity in his voice. She knew why. It was fear of rejection, a feeling she knew just as much about as most other villains. Hego, like most heroes on the other hand, was not accustomed to it and it made him feel anything but heroic.<br>"You know what I mean. We need to have a serious talk. About...about us."  
>"Yeah...I guess we should talk about that."<br>"Tell you what, I come up to Upperton on Saturday and you come down from Go City. We'll meet half way." Electronique used her best cheery tone to disguise her own nervousness. She'd never liked to have these kind of 'serious talks'. In her experience they ended in heartbreak, or at least divorce. Sometimes both. But she needed to know where Hego and her were going and she hoped Hego would want to know as well.  
>"Meet me at Paul Bunyan's. You know, the pancake place?"<br>"Yeah, the food is good there."  
>"I've got coupons. Let's make it a dinner date, my treat. How's that sound?"<br>"Sounds great!" A dinner date didn't sound as ominous as a serious talk. Hego felt cheered already. "When should I be there?"  
>"Three PM?"<br>"I'll be there."

Electronique's meetings with Will Du at the parole office ran smoother by the week. He knew what the law demanded of her and she knew how to give the law what it wanted. Agent Du didn't mind in the least. He wasn't too keen on criminals in general and super criminals in particular. The less troubles they gave him the better.  
>"Your efforts to adhere to your parole conditions won't go unnoticed."<br>"Any chance of shortening the time? Or lift the restraining order?"  
>"It's not up to me, but whatever I report will be taken into consideration according to the regulations."<br>Electronique almost laughed Agent Du in the face.  
>"<em>Regulations. If you only knew how little they matter whenever the real world is involved."<em> She though bitterly. "_You'll learn, young man. One day you'll learn and it will change you for ever."_  
>Despite the dull encounter with her parole officer Electronique was in a fairly good mood. She wasn't exactly happy but not entirely dejected either. Whatever tomorrow would bring, she was certain she could handle with some grace.<br>After all, she had a plan.  
>Electronique had picked Saturday and Upperton on purpose. She knew Julia dated a Middleton boy and that she went home to her father in Lowerton during weekends. So by going away from both Middleton and Lowerton she had made sure there would be no accidental violations of parole even if Julia had decided to go visit the boy in Middleton. And Julia would be spared the embarrassment of having to explain to her boyfriend that her mother was a villainess, not to mention the caretaker at her date's university.<br>"_Hah! I'd like to see a 'normal' mother come up with a plan such as this! It has advantages to be an experienced villainess. Fool proof."_

The phone rang.  
>"The Possibles. Dr. James Possible speaking."<br>"Uh...hello Dr. Possible, Sir? Is Tim there? It's Julia, Tim's girlfriend."  
>James Possible smiled to himself. This was the first time he'd had the chance to talk to Tim's girlfriend and she had already gained his favour by using his title when she addressed him.<br>"Just a moment, dear." James said and shouted upstairs:  
>"Tim! It's your girlfriend!"<br>Tim came hurrying out from his room.  
>"Dad! Not so loud!"<br>"All right, all right. But I wasn't wrong, was I?"  
>"No, but it's private. Can I have the phone, please?"<br>"Sure, here you go son."  
>Chuckling to himself James ambled back to the living room where Ann waited for her husband to join him in watching the latest science shows.<br>"Julia? Hi."  
>"Hi Tim. I tried calling your mobile phone but I couldn't get through."<br>"Oh...yeah, sorry about that. Me and Jim accidentally...um... well, our phones will probably land tomorrow."  
>"Land?"<br>"Me and Jim were playing around with our old rocket kits from grade school and...anyway, enough about me." Tim cleared his throat. He felt like a fool, having been swept up by the joy of fiddling with rockets and science to the point of forcing to Julia call him at his home phone. He promised himself it would never happen again. If his mobile phone survived reentry into the Earth's atmosphere, of course.  
>"Yes, OK." Julia was a bit confused but she knew Tim was really smart and always had something weird and funny going on. That's what made him so interesting. He was unlike any other boy she'd talked to. All the other girls wanted the jock types or guys who were in a band or something popular like that but Julia always felt awkward around boys like those, no matter how nice they were. Smart equalled safe to Julia. It reminded her of her mother. Her mom was really smart too. When Julia had been little her mom always could answer any question or figure out how to deal with any problem right away. Sometimes Julia missed that sense of security but she also knew people thought her mother could be really, really dangerous and now Julia wasn't allowed near her because of some stupid judge or something.<br>"Have you ever been to Upperton, Tim?"  
>"We drove through it once or twice. That's about it, really. Why?"<br>"Because I was thinking we could go there and I could show you my school and maybe go shopping and have something to eat? Like a whole-day date?"  
>"Wow! Yeah! I'd love to! I'll have to ask mom and dad though. Hold on?"<br>"OK."  
>Tim went over to the living room.<br>"Julia wants to go to Upperton with me on Saturday. Is that cool?"  
>"Well, that depends. How long will you be gone?" James asked.<br>"Um...most of the day I guess."  
>"I'm not sure..." Tim's father began when he was interrupted by Ann<br>"I think Tim's old enough to be trusted, James. Let him go out with his girlfriend."  
>"If you think so, honey, I guess it's all right with me." James raised an eyebrow at his wife.<br>"Awesome! Thanks!" Tim went back to tell Julia that the date was on.  
>Back in the living room James turned to Ann.<br>"Are you really sure about this, honey because..."  
>"Because if Tim's away, then Jim will go over to hang out his friends and we'll have a whole day to ourselves." Ann's smile and the mischievous gleam in her eye made James forget all objections.<p>

Saturday showed up, dressed for success with lovely sunshine and a gentle breeze to take the edge of any excessive heat.  
>Except for her skin colour and his heroic physique, Electronique and Hego looked like a perfectly ordinary couple entering Paul Bunyan's.<br>"Order anything you like. I've got a whole booklet of coupons to use up."  
>"Lucky us! How'd you get it?"<br>"A gift. Let's get outdoor seats."  
>"Right behind you."<br>Hego didn't mind being right behind Electronique. She certainly kept herself in great shape and those pants had a nice fit. He had to remind himself that this was supposed to be a 'serious talk' kind of dinner date.  
>They sat down and Hego figured she should start the conversation on a positive note.<br>"You've got some nice friends to give you a whole booklet like that."  
>"Friends? I have no friends."<br>"But...uh...why's that? You can be nice, I've seen that myself."  
>"People read the papers. They can't be seen with me."<br>"Wow. That must be a real bummer.  
>"Yes, it used to make me feel pretty shot down."<br>"No wonder you get mean."  
>"You have no idea. But as I said, it used to make me feel shot down. It doesn't any more."<br>Hego looked troubled for a moment. He was reminded of how Shego had broken off with her family. He had never understood exactly why and Shego had never deigned to give any answers.  
>"Electronique, would you mind if I asked you a kind of personal question?"<br>"Probably. But go ahead anyway."  
>"Why evil?"<br>Electronique looked up from the menu. To Hego's surprise she pushed her goggles up, even though he knew it was uncomfortable to her eyes. Their eyes met and she held his gaze for a several minutes. Electronique tried to figure out if the question was serious. She decided it was. It wasn't Hego's style to joke about things like this. Maybe say something too blunt and to the point, but not joke about it.  
>She lowered her goggles again.<br>"Why indeed? Let me think. I need to put this the right way. I'll answer after we've ordered."  
>The waiter came, took their orders and left. Hego was unsure what to expect. If Electronique had shouted at him or stormed off he would have felt bad but at least it would have been a reaction he would have expected. This thoughtful silence unnerved him.<br>"Electronique?"  
>"Yes?"<br>"We've ordered now."  
>"All right. Why evil?" She took a deep breath. "It varies from villain to villain. But, and I generalize here, it usually starts with a sort of 'I want to do what I feel like and take no responsibility for my actions.' kind of attitude. I guess that's your sister, am I right?"<br>"I...I don't know. I guess so." Hego looked down, very uncomfortable with saying anything bad about his family even though Shego was evil by her own admission.  
>"Or to get even with people for something. Those are the easiest ways to become evil. But most of us feel that way, sometimes, don't we?"<br>"Yeah, I guess so."  
>"And then there's the sense of entitlement crowd. Aviarius for example. He thinks the world owes him respect and things like that."<br>"So where do you fit in?"  
>"I started out as a 'do what I want' kind of villain I guess. I was just a kid back then. I didn't like people telling me what to do and I always went and did the opposite. I'm still like that. I realized that even though it made people angry it also made me feel happy. It was fun."<br>Hego nodded, prompting Electronique to continue.  
>"Then I took a break for a while. Met a guy, tried to be normal, had a baby. You know, that whole bit."<br>"But it didn't work out so well, did it?"  
>"At first it looked like it. I even got my degree in electrical engineering while pregnant."<br>"That's...pretty awesome." Hego was forced to admit.  
>Electronique smiled and a faint blush coloured her cheeks at his words.<br>"Anyway, it didn't last. Suburban life, being a housewife, husband working and providing for me and Julia. And all the time I knew there was an entire world out there, waiting to be had. To think I would just let it go would be mad. At first I would do it secretly. Make up an excuse to get out of the house and just steal and destroy and maybe fool around with the power grid. For laughs."  
>She sighed, looking a bit sad at the memories.<br>"Of course it couldn't last. Little stuff didn't do it any more. I took greater risks for greater rewards. And eventually Carl found out, when the cops called and asked about me. That was after my first arrest by you and your family. Thanks a lot, Hego."  
>"B-but..."<br>"Oh, I'm just teasing you. I told you, I know what I'm getting into these days. Anyway, that pretty much broke up my marriage. To this day I'm not even sure if I felt happy about it or not. But Carl said some things that...You know what, never mind what he said. It's none of your business."  
>"Fair enough. Does the story end there?"<br>"No. Not at all. As you probably remember I didn't stay locked up for long. The cops didn't know how to handle supers all that well back then and the 'Bitch Bin' wasn't built. So I busted myself out and found new kinds of kicks from being evil."  
>"Like what?"<br>"The first one is obvious. Power. Not to rule the world, like Drakken or Professor Dementor."  
>"I think he likes to be called Dr. Drakken." Hego interrupted on behalf of his sister's spouse.<br>Electronique snorted with contempt.  
>"He doesn't have a degree. Too lazy, too impatient or whatever, all are just excuses for lack of rigour and work ethics. Here's what i think of 'Dr.' and Drakken in the same sentence!"<br>She presented Hego with her middle finger. "At least Dementor has a nominal seat as a professor at Heidelberg."  
>"Whoa! Don't bite my head off!"<br>"See? That's part of what I mean with power. To make people uneasy, even frightened. Can you understand the kick, the sheer high you get from terrifying people and see them run. And knowing that you are the cause of all that emotion. The feeling of being so totally in control is...well, it's arousing!"  
>Hego frowned. He did not approve of her line of reasoning.<br>"No, I don't know what it feels like. And I think it's wrong to take pleasure from such things."  
>Electronique stopped herself for a moment, looking at him.<br>"Oh I'll get back to that later, Hego."  
>"Why doesn't that make me feel all that confident?"<br>"It shouldn't. But, as I was saying, there was one more kick from being evil than mere power and that's where you and your kind come in."  
>"How do you mean?"<br>"I like fighting with heroes. Pitting my plans against their skills. My powers against theirs. It's fun, it's exciting and..." Suddenly she leaned forward and put her hand on Hego's. "And it is kind of intimate."  
>Hego didn't know what to make of her smile.<br>"When I lived in Go City I thought about Team Go. A lot. Always on my mind how to best you, how to find new plans to show you what a great villain I was. And Team Go never disappointed me."  
>"Uh...thanks, I guess?" Hego was torn between disapproving of Electronique's actions and feeling good about her flattery.<br>"So, now you know why I'm evil. I can't give it all up and to be honest I don't want to either."  
>"What? So you can keep fighting heroes?"<br>"Fighting and hating is a bit like loving and dating. It's not all that different, emotionally I mean. It takes strong passions to make it work. You know I'm right. You like being good, don't you, Hego?"  
>"Well of course I do. Being a hero, being good is...uh, it's good by definition."<br>"Would you mind if I asked you some personal questions?"  
>"Not at all! I have nothing to be ashamed of." It came out a bit more high-and-mighty than he'd intended, but just a bit.<br>"How did it feel when Shego left team go?"  
>"I was sad. She's my sister after all and she was a great hero and you know it. She was part of Team Go that you loved to go up against so much."<br>Electronique's smirk wasn't entirely decent.  
>"I don't swing that way, Hego, I prefer men. And what happened after she left?"<br>"Why, I took it upon me to lead Team Go of course." He missed Electronique's little comment on her preferences.  
>"Why 'of course'?"<br>"I was the oldest of us. And, I'd like to imagine, the most responsible."  
>"Mhm. And that felt good, didn't it? To be in charge of one of the world's greatest hero groups?"<br>"Yes certainly. It feels good to help people."  
>"Now we're getting somewhere. It feels good. And they are ever so grateful, aren't they? All the ceremonies. Granting you Go Island with your Go Tower. The mayor presenting team Go with the keys to the city. All that jazz."<br>"Yeah? Is that so bad?"  
>"You didn't give up being good when I, and most of my colleagues, were imprisoned."<br>"No, good must never rest."  
>"And evil never rests either."<br>Hego sighed and threw up his arms in frustration.  
>"Where are you going with this, Electronique?"<br>"I'm just saying you and I have a lot more in common than either of us might be comfortable to admit."  
>"We have pancakes in common, that's for sure." Hego said as the waiter arrived with their orders.<br>Electronique's laughter made the rising tension go away.  
>"Let's eat and talk about something else for now, OK?"<p>

Tim and Julia had had a great day. Julia had shown him the Upperton Boarding School for Girls and pointed out where her window was.  
>"Just in case you would like to come visit me."<br>"I thought no boys were allowed?"  
>"They aren't, but it's only a problem if they found you out, right?"<br>Tim and Julia had laughed at that but Tim knew she'd meant it and it was kind of fun to think about sneaking in to meet her during the weeks. It could also get him into a lot of trouble but after years of scientific experiments in the back yard he considered himself able to handle trouble quite well.  
>They had wandered all over Upperton, just hanging out and talking. In the park, by the fountain, they had kissed. Not just a kiss on the cheek but a proper boyfriend-girlfriend kind of kiss.<br>Tim couldn't imagine how they day could get any better than this when Julia took him to the Upperton Mega Mall and told him to wait on a bench for a while.  
>"I've got a surprise for you." She giggled. "Don't go away, I'll be right back."<br>Julia went to the Lab Coat Emporium and picked up the gift she had ordered earlier in the week.  
>"Here! A present for my boyfriend!"<br>To Tim's eyes it was perfect. A lab coat with his very own name embroidered on the chest pocket. He leaned closer to see what it said in smaller letters underneath his name.  
>"Tim Possible." He read. "From his girlfriend Julia."<br>He blinked, his eyes getting a bit misty.  
>"Julia...that's so sweet! I don't know what to say."<br>"Oh try it on, try it on! Please!" Julia handed the coat to Tim and clapped her hands.  
>Tim put the coat on right away. It was just a little too big but otherwise had a nice fit.<br>"You look like a real, proper scientist!" Julia cooed and clasped her hands in admiration.  
>"Haha, I do, don't I?" Tim turned around to give his girlfriend a view all around.<br>"I've got my very own genius!" She giggled.  
>"I haven't got a gift for you though. I'm sorry I didn't think about that, Julia."<br>"It's OK. You can buy me something some other time if you feel you have to."  
>"Tell you what? I'll pay for dinner today, would that be cool with you?"<br>"Sure! I'm getting hungry anyway. Where do you want to eat?"  
>"How about Paul Bunyan's? I saw one just down the street."<br>"Oh, goodie!"

The conversation between Hego and Electronique had turned to villainy again.  
>"So what kind of villains do you have in Go City these days?"<br>"Don't get me started."  
>"I think I just did."<br>"They're just so...crap."  
>"Ooh! Harsh words from Hego!" Electronique chuckled.<br>"But it's true!"  
>"Examples, please?"<br>"There's Blue Panda."  
>"A panda-themed villain? That doesn't sound so impressive. What can he do? Eat bamboo from the botanical gardens?"<br>"He doesn't even wear a panda outfit. He's a shoplifter in a blue latex suit with a panda printed on the chest."  
>"Don't you mean spandex?"<br>"No. Latex."  
>"Ew!"<br>"I won't go into details. We're eating."  
>"Thanks. So, who else?"<br>"Captain Coconut."  
>"Is he wearing a proper suit at least?"<br>"Yeah, some sort of body armour. It's round, brown and fuzzy. Mego simply tripped him and he couldn't get up. He just lay there on his back, kicking like an overturned turtle."  
>"Bwahahahahahahahaaaaa!"<br>"We rolled him to the police station like a barrel."  
>"Stop! Stop! My tummy hurts! Ahahahahaha!"<br>It took Electronique a long time to stop laughing at the misfortune of Captain Coconut.  
>She had to lift her goggles to wipe tears of laughter from her eyes.<br>"Oh dear, you were right. They are crap."  
>Hego grinned and looked over his shoulder.<br>"I shouldn't be saying this." He said in a hushed voice. "But I miss you. As a villain I mean."  
>"Aww! That's so sweet!" Electronique actually blushed fully this time. It felt good to hear Hego say that. He appreciated her, not just as someone to go on dates with but as a villain and enemy too.<br>"Well, remember what you said that night when you called me a few months back?"  
>"Not much, really. I was kind of drunk, you know."<br>"You said that if spending years trying to destroy each other meant so little to me you could just as well hang up."  
>"Hm. Yes. Sorry about that."<br>"No, that's OK. Because...I've been thinking about us for a while now and I've realized that, yes, trying to destroy each other over all these years does mean something to me."  
>"I...uh..." Electronique had expected her to be the one to bring it up and when Hego did instead she suddenly felt that same nervous fear of rejection she thought herself immune to.<br>"What I'm trying to say here, Electronique, is that you mean something to me and I'm hoping you feel the same about me."  
>Electronique nodded.<br>"I think I do. But what exactly do we feel about each other?"  
>"I know about as much as you do, Electronique. But I'm willing to try to find out. How about you?"<br>Electronique thought about it. This was different. But in a good way or a bad way?  
>"Let's find out." She said after a while. "I'm not afraid." That was a lie.<br>"Frankly, I am a little afraid." Hego said. That wasn't a lie.  
>Electronique picked up her glass of mineral water and raised it in a toast.<br>"To us and the future then. Whatever that may be."  
>Hego raised his glass as well.<br>"To us and the future."  
>They brought their glasses together and the relaxed mood returned to the dinner table.<br>Electronique had begun telling Hego of her brief and utterly failed alliance with Aviarius a while back when she noticed someone was standing by their table, looking at them.  
>She turned to see who it was and stopped in mid sentence.<br>"Julia?"  
>"Hi, mom."<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

**Troubles of youth**

Tim and Julia had just entered Paul Bunyan's when they heard a woman laugh out loud from the outdoor tables. Both teenagers recognized the voice but drew different conclusions.  
>"That sounds like the caretaker lady at MU." Tim said.<br>Julia had stopped dead in her tracks.  
>"Julia? Is something the matter?" Tim asked when he noticed the look on her face.<br>"Um...yeah. Kinda." She had gone a bit pale and looked very nervous.  
>"What? Do you want us to leave?"<br>"No, no. I just don't know what to do."  
>Tim was getting seriously confused and concerned now.<br>"Please, tell me?"  
>"That's my mom over there."<br>"The caretaker is your mom? That's cool." He noticed the look on Julia's face. "Right? It is cool?"  
>Julia glanced at her boyfriend, then to her mother who hadn't noticed her. The big guy opposite to her apparently had told some kind of joke which cracked Julia's mom up. She knew about the restraining order but Julia just could not walk away.<br>"Tim? Will you do something for me?"  
>"Sure! Anything!"<br>"I'm...I'm going over to say hi to mom. Could you keep an eye out for cops and warn us if anyone should show up?"  
>"Cops? But...what? "<br>"Please?"  
>It wasn't the puppy dog pout her sister had mastered to get Tim's parents to let her get away with stuff. That was just an act. The pleading look on Julia's face was genuine and almost desperate. Tim held out about as long as a snowflake in a blast furnace.<br>"OK. I'll be right here."  
>"Thanks. I'll explain later, I promise."<br>She gave him a quick kiss and, looking this way and that, walked over to the table where her mother sat.

Electronique's first reaction was immediate and instinctive. After the initial surprise she got up and hugged her daughter.  
>"Sweetie!"<br>It was only after a few moments of hugging that Electronique realized what situation she was in.  
>"Uh...Julia, honey." She let go of her daughter. "I can't be this close to you."<br>"I know mom. But don't worry, I've got it all under control."  
>"What do you mean?"<br>"My boyfriend is keeping an eye out for cops so I can get away in a hurry if one should show up."  
>Electronique sighed.<br>"Julia, that's against the law. I'm violating my parole by not sticking to my restraining order."  
>"But it's a stupid order! You would never hurt me!"<br>"I know, honey but the court doesn't agree and besides I might be in trouble already."  
>Electronique nodded to Hego who sat quietly and wasn't sure how to react to the situation.<br>"Julia, this is..."  
>"Yeah, I know. He's that guy that locks you up all the time." Julia frowned slightly. "I didn't recognize him at first."<br>"Now, now, Julia! Don't be like that. He's just doing his job."  
>Julia wasn't satisfied with her mother's comment.<br>"You're going to tell on mom, aren't you?" She said accusingly.  
>"Well, I suppose I should..." Hego began. "But I won't."<br>He almost laughed when he saw Electronique's surprised face.  
>"Hm. You'd better not. Or else..." Julia's eyes narrowed and she did her best to look intimidating, with limited success.<br>"Julia, behave yourself!"  
>Hearing the notoriously destructive supervillainess Electronique tell her daughter to behave was a bit too much for Hego who had to look away to hide the huge grin plastered all over his face.<br>"Yes, mom."  
>"Look, we can't talk for long, sweetie. Let me take a look at you."<br>Electronique took a step back and looked over her daughter from top to bottom.  
>"Are you sure you're eating properly? You look like you've lost weight."<br>"Mo-om!"  
>"Yes, yes. I know, you're a big girl now." She ruffled Julia's hair and smiled. "But if I catch you smoking or drinking you will be in trouble, young lady."<br>Julia laughed along with her mother.  
>"I just wish that stupid parole didn't make you stay away. You could come visit me at school or I could stay with you some weekends."<br>"So you could be closer to your boyfriend in Middleton, hmm?"  
>"Uh...maybe? How'd you know he lives there?"<br>"I'm your mother. I'm supposed to know stuff like that." Electronique pretended to brush Julia's question off, before she had to go into details. She didn't know how much Julia had told him or the other way around. She decided to play it her way, just to be on the safe side.  
>"But things are the way they are right now, Julia. Just be patient for another fifteen months and we can be together again, dear. And that restraining order isn't part of the parole, by the way."<br>Hego turned around again to keep an eye on Electronique. A cold, bitter edge had crept into her voice.  
>"It isn't?"<br>"Ask your dad. That's all I have to say."  
>Before Julia could pressure her mother for more information on the topic, she was interrupted by a warning whistle from Tim who had staid in the background.<br>"I got to go, mom!" Julia looked around nervously.  
>"Take care, honey! I love you."<br>"I love you too, mom!"  
>Julia hugged her mother again and they said some more hurried good byes before she and Tim discretely evaded the approaching police officer.<p>

"All right, Hego. What's so funny?" Electronique said after Julia and Tim had scurried off.  
>"You. It's just fun to see you like this."<br>"Like what?"  
>"You know, all mother-like. I almost forget you're supposed to be a villainess."<br>"Pff... look who's talking. Mister 'I-won't-tell'. That is almost like a crime you know. Are you thinking about switching teams, big boy?"  
>"Hardly. One black and green sheep in the family is enough. I'm just sentimental."<br>"Anyway, I'll have to have a talk with that boyfriend of hers next week."  
>"I don't think you have to worry about him. I think he's one of Kim Possible's brothers. He's bound to be a good kid."<br>"Oh, is he now?"  
>Hego realized he'd said something that probably didn't put Julia's boyfriend in the best light as far as Electronique was concerned.<br>"Look, don't worry so much. Julia seems like a nice and smart kid. If you don't trust me, then at least trust her."  
>Electronique threw up her hands in frustration.<br>"You win, Hego. This time..."  
>She grinned playfully to show that he shouldn't take her menacing tone too seriously.<br>"Check please." She called to the waiter. "How'd you feel about a walk in the park?"  
>"Sounds great to me."<br>This time it didn't seem awkward for them to walk hand in hand.

If Hego and Electronique didn't feel awkward things were different for Tim and Julia.  
>They had gone to Slushy Burger for their meal, which they ate in silence. Tim tried to start up a conversation a few times without much success.<br>Julia in turn was trying to figure out a way to tell Tim that her mother was a super villain, a criminal and maybe even an enemy of Tim's famous sister.  
>"<em>What if he doesn't want to be my boyfriend any more? What if he tells on what I did and mom goes to prison again? Mom will hate me!" <em>  
>"Julia? Hello?"<br>Her worried thoughts were interrupted by Tim waving his hand in front of her face.  
>"Earth to Julia?"<br>"Yes, sorry..."  
>"Is it something I said? Did I do something wrong?"<br>"No, no! It's not you. I just don't want to ruin our date by saying something that...y'know. Something that you don't like."  
>"Like what? Please, tell me." Tim pleaded. "I promise I won't say anything stupid."<br>Julia wrestled with her insecurities for a while before she decided to  
>"All right, but not here. Let's go somewhere else where there are less people."<br>"Anything for you, Julia."  
>For the first time in a while she smiled and that made Tim smile too.<br>"I might just hold you to that promise."  
>Tim felt he should do something to comfort her. On impulse he put his arm around her shoulder. The gesture was rewarded by Julia snuggling closer to him as they walked.<br>Privacy was found on a nearby playground.  
>"So...wanna tell me now?" Tim asked cautiously.<br>"It's about my mom. She's on parole, you know that right?"  
>"Yeah, I heard about that when she started working at MU."<br>"So, do you know what she did?"  
>"Uh, no not really. I mean it's not like it's my business. All I know is that she's kinda too smart to be a caretaker."<br>"Hah! You can say that again. No, my mother is a...a super villain."  
>She glanced at Tim to read his reaction.<br>"Oh. OK. And...?"  
>"Well, don't you think that's weird?"<br>"Nah. Not really. I mean my sister fights villains all the time and you know that Drakken guy?"  
>"Yeah?"<br>"His girlfriend is actually the older sister of that guy your mom was having dinner with."  
>"But did you know your sister has been fighting my mother?"<br>"No."  
>Tim suddenly grew a bit paler.<br>"You...you're not thinking about breaking up with me because of that, are you, Julia?"  
>"No! Why do you say that?"<br>"I just thought...when you said that Kim and your mother..."  
>"But I was afraid you would break up with me!"<br>The two teenagers laughed with relief when their fears proved unfounded.  
>The rest of their day turned out pretty much perfect for Tim and Julia. The train ride to Middleton was equally pleasant with plenty of kissing, cuddling and sweet words.<p>

Julia had said a reluctant goodbye to Tim as he got off the commuter train in Middleton.  
>On the ride to Lowerton she thought about what her mother had said: 'Ask your dad'.<br>She knew her mother could overreact sometimes and she wasn't exactly good at accepting blame. But as far as Julia knew, her mother had never lied to her. Withheld stuff, sure, but that wasn't the same as lying.  
>"<em>Dad will have to explain. It's only fair that I hear his side of the story too."<em>  
>A little while later she walked in the door.<br>"I'm home!" She called.  
>"Hello, Julia. Did you and Tim have a nice day?" It was her father's new wife and Julia's stepmother, Doreen.<br>"Yeah, we had a great time. He paid for dinner and I bought him a lab coat."  
>"That's so sweet."<br>Julia liked Doreen a lot. They had had their share of clashes, of course, but nothing serious. Even though she was very different from Julia's mother, Doreen was a sweet and lovable person. Just perfect for Julia's father.  
>"Is dad home?"<br>"Yes dear. He's in the living room. Could you make sure he hasn't fallen asleep in front of the TV? It's bad for his back."  
>"Sure."<br>Carl was watching the news when his daughter came in.  
>"Hey, pumpkin. How was your day?"<br>"It was great." Julia hugged him and sat down beside him on the couch.  
>While she told him about her day with Tim, Julia tried to figure out a way to ask her dad about the restraining order.<br>In the end she couldn't come up with something subtle.  
>"Dad?"<br>"Yes?"  
>"That restraining order mom got...was it you?"<br>"Uh...Yes. I asked for it when I heard your mother was on parole."  
>"But why? She would never hurt me!" Julia's voice accused him and Carl hated himself for hurting the person that mattered the most to him.<br>"Sweetheart, you know your mommy is a criminal. And not just a normal one but a super villainess. I just wanted to be sure you were safe. I'm so afraid for you whenever I hear Veronica is out of prison. I keep thinking 'What if something goes wrong' and I tried to do what was right."  
>Julia leaned against Carl's shoulder. She was quiet for a long time.<br>"Are you mad at me, Julia?" Carl asked softly.  
>"No. I think I understand now. I'm just a bit sad that you didn't ask me first."<br>"I'm sorry. Forgive me?" He hugged Julia close.  
>"Yeah."<br>They sat quiet for a while as the news reels rolled, forgotten, on the TV.  
>"I think I'll go to bed now. I'm tired."<br>"You do that, honey. You've had a long day."

"Good night, dad."

"Good night, pumpkin. See you tomorrow."  
>When she had gone to bed and turned out the lights Julia thought back on what she had seen in her father's eyes when he had talked about her mother.<br>It was fear.  
>"<em>He wasn't afraid for me. He was afraid for himself. My dad is afraid of my mom."<em>  
>It struck her how little she really knew about what had happened when her parents had divorced all those years ago.<br>And how little she knew about what her mother was capable of.


	9. Chapter 9

**Possible Incidents**

"All right! So this is what MU looks like from the inside!"  
>"Ron, didn't you even go here when they had the tour for applicants back before we graduated?"<br>"So I overslept! It happens!"  
>Kim and Ron had a few days off and decided to go visit the tweebs at Middleton University.<br>"Let's go check out the cafeteria!"  
>"Uh, Ron? We're here to see my brothers, remember?"<br>"I bet they're in the cafeteria as we speak."  
>"You just want to try their food."<br>"Aw, come on KP! I just want to make sure the food is good enough for your brothers!"

"Yeah, by eating it." Kim chuckled.  
>They walked around for a while and realized that Middleton University was bigger than they had expected.<br>"This is worse than that Lorwardian UFO we were on." Ron complained.  
>"It's not a UFO if you know what it is, Ron."<br>"You know what I mean."  
>"Anyway, we're not lost just yet. We can ask someone. Like her."<br>Kim had spotted a woman in a green caretaker's overall hunkered down over an access hatch in the floor. A toolbox and some tools sat on the floor next to the woman. Kim walked up to her.  
>"Excuse me, Miss? Do you know the way to the cafeteria?"<br>The woman froze for a moment before slowly getting to her feet.  
>"I know but I'm not telling <em>you<em>." Electronique said as she turned to face Kim and Ron.  
>"Aah! It's Electronique!" Ron shouted. "Don't let her make me evil again!" He put his hands on his head as if to protect it.<br>"You!" Kim hissed and leaped back, landing in a combat crouch.  
>Electronique placed her hands on her hips in a confident pose.<br>"Yes, me. What are you going to do about it?  
>Kim noticed Electronique's hand slowly moving towards a small box on her belt. Some sort of dangerous device, Kim assumed.<br>"I don't know what you're doing here but I'm putting a stop to it right now!" The redhead jumped forward and tried to grab Electronique's wrist and pull her hand away from the little box.  
>The older woman was too quick and pushed a red button on the box.<br>"What did you do?" Kim snarled as she grabbed Electronique by her overalls and pushed the villainess up against the wall.  
>Electronique's smile was mocking and so was her voice.<br>"Oh, you'll find out soon enough, Kim Possible."  
>"Uh...KP? I don't like this." Ron said and looked around. "When villains are this cocky they usually have something bad going on. Maybe robot dogs or...um... explosive hamsters. Or something."<br>Kim held her opponent pinned against the wall and it worried her that Electronique did nothing to resist. Just that cold, condescending sneer.  
>Suddenly Kim realized that Electronique was looking over Kim's shoulder. The villainess raised her hand and held it up. She snapped her fingers and pointed down at Kim.<br>"KP? We _are_ in trouble now." Ron said.  
>"Campus Security! Let go of that woman!"<br>Kim couldn't believe her ears. She spun around, expecting some sort of ruse. It was no such thing. Two portly men in the uniform of Campus Security had come running when Electronique had activated the personal alarm all MU staff carried with them these days.  
>Kim let go of Electronique and tried to explain to the security guys.<br>"She's a criminal! I should know! I'm the one who put her away the last time."  
>"Oh, it's you Miss Possible." The guards smiled and seemed to relax when they saw that it was Middleton's very own heroine accompanied by her trusty sidekick.<br>"So why don't you help me arrest..." Kim began but silenced when the two men put their hands on her shoulders and started easing her down the corridor.  
>"Sorry, Miss Possible, but we have standing orders to escort anyone who bothers, threatens or otherwise accosts university staff in a hostile manner, off the Campus area." They looked very apologetic and quite embarrassed. "Miss Iordanescu, as an employee of Middleton University, is protected by our security routines as much as anyone here on campus."<br>"Listen to me! Elec...wait? What did you call her?"  
>"Miss Iordanescu. That's her name. Now, please don't make this harder than it is, Miss Possible."<br>"Wait a minute!" Ron shouted. " What if she does something...electrical?"  
>"That is what I'm paid to do, minion." Electronique laughed behind them.<br>"I'm not a minion! I'm a boyfriend!"  
>"Mr. Stoppable? If you please would come with us?" One of the men said as they escorted the furious Kim out.<br>Kim turned around to look at Electronique to see what the villainess was doing behind the backs of Campus Security.  
>Electronique was grinning, looking as smug as the Cheshire Cat and then some.<br>"_I hope you like a taste of rules and regulations, Kim Possible." _Electronique thought as she laughed inwardly. "_Humiliating my enemy completely legally. I could get used to this." _  
>Chuckling wickedly to herself in a manner that would have impressed Señor Senior Senior, Electronique returned to fixing the cable junction under the floor, very pleased with how the day had turned out so far.<p>

Sitting on a bench just off Campus, Kim was frustrated and angry. Even Ron seemed upset.  
>"How can they just not see that she's a villain? And how did she escape?"<br>"And what of the attitudinator? I thought it made her good?" Ron complained.  
>Kim looked at what Ron was doing with a piece of tinfoil he'd picked out of a trashcan.<br>"Ron? What are you doing?"  
>"I'm folding a tinfoil hat of course."<br>"Why?"  
>"To protect me from harmful rays. Like from an attitudinator."<br>"Ron...put the tinfoil away. It won't work. Besides it looks dirty."  
>Ron sighed and tossed the tinfoil back into the trashcan.<br>"Yeah, OK. I was just clutching at straws anyway"  
>The two young heroes sat silent for a moment trying to figure out what was going on and what Electronique was up to. It never occurred to them that Electronique was in fact behaving perfectly legally.<br>"I didn't know she had a real name, you know." Ron mused. "It's like when we found out Dr. Drakken's name was Drew. It just felt...weird."  
>Kim nodded. "Yeah and he went to school with my dad. It actually makes me feel a bit uneasy to think about villains having...you know, lives outside crime."<br>"At least Drakken's nice to hang around with at Christmas."  
>"Only because you both sit up all night watching Snowman Hank over and over while stuffing yourself on Christmas cookies."<br>"Don't slam Hank, KP."  
>Their conversation was interrupted by the tweebs who had finished class for today and were headed home.<br>"Kim! Ron!" The twins rushed over to hug their sister and do some back slapping and similar masculine greeting rituals with Ron.  
>"What are you doing here?" Jim asked.<br>"And why didn't you come looking for us on campus?" Tim went on.  
>"Actually we did." Kim began.<br>"And got evicted." Ron continued.  
>"Wow! How'd you manage to do that? Even we haven't pulled that off!"<br>Kim looked at Ron who merely shrugged, as unsure what to say as her.  
>Kim decided to take the serious approach.<br>"Jim, Tim. Did you know that one of the caretakers is a villainess?"  
>"Uh...yeah, Miss Iordanescu? She's on parole." Jim said.<br>Tim looked uneasy but nodded.  
>"Parole?" Kim bristled again. "There is no way I'm buying that. She's up to something, mark my words!"<br>Ron noticed that Tim looked even more uneasy.  
>"Hey, Tim? What's wrong, big guy?"<br>Jim had sidled up to his twin and had put his hand on Tim's shoulder in a show of support.  
>Now Kim took note as well.<br>"Tim? Are you OK?" She asked, her voice filled with concern. "Did Electronique hurt you? If she did I'll..."  
>"No, no she didn't." Tim mumbled. "It's just that..." He said something that neither Kim nor Ron caught.<br>"What's that?" Ron asked.  
>"She's my girlfriend's mom." Tim said quickly and looked away.<br>"What?" For the second time today Kim doubted her ears.  
>Tim's own temper flared up at his sister's outburst and even more so at the outrage in her voice.<br>"Yeah? So what?" He snapped back. "She's Julia's mom! What are you going to do about it?" His words unknowingly echoed Electronique's earlier in the day.  
>"Whoa! Whoa! Easy everyone!" Ron said and stepped between the two siblings. Jim joined him.<br>"Cool down, Tim. She didn't mean anything bad about Julia. Right, Kim?"  
>Kim realized that she had hurt Tim's feelings and felt bad about her outburst.<br>"Sorry, Tim. I didn't mean it like that. I was just...no I _am_ scared of what she might do to you."  
>Tim huffed and looked grumpy for a little while until Ron and Jim offered more assurances that no one had anything against Julia or her relationship with Tim.<br>"How about I give you tweebs a ride home?" Kim offered as a peace gesture.

"Sure!" Jim was enthusiastic.

"Yeah, thanks. Sorry I snapped at you, sis." Tim said looking a bit sheepish.

"Aw, that's OK, Tim. I overreacted there. Forgive me?"

"You know it, Kim."

Peace was once again restored among the Possible-siblings.  
>During the short drive, Tim leaned forward between the front seats. "Kim? Could I ask you ask you of some favours?"<br>"Sure, Tim."  
>"No problemo. The Ronster is your man."<br>"See, Julia's coming over on Friday..."  
>"So we finally get to meet her?" Kim smiled.<br>"Uh, yeah...about that. Kim, would you please try not to bring her mom up?"  
>"I promise! Cheerleader's honour!" She held up two fingers.<br>"But I can, right?" Ron asked.  
>"No!" All the others in the car said in a loud chorus.<br>"Aww...well, what do you want from me then, Tim?"  
>"It's the first time she comes over to us, right? And I kinda really would like to impress her..."<br>"What Tim means" Jim said "Is he wants you to cook, Ron."  
>"Yeah. Something like that."<br>"Can do! The Ron-man is on the case!" Ron preened with pride. When it came to cooking he was confident and decisive. He might be clumsy at other times, indeed even a 'buffoon' as Drakken would say, but never in the kitchen. Ron had no intention of letting Tim down.  
>When the tweebs heard Ron promise to cook there could be only one response.<br>"Hicka-bicka-boo!"  
>"Hoo-Shah!" <p>


	10. Chapter 10

**Dinner with the Possibles**

"Dad? I'm going to Tim's now. I'll be back tonight!"  
>"Have a good time and leave your phone on, honey!" Carl replied.<br>"I'm not a kid anymore, dad. Of course I'll leave the phone on."  
>Carl laughed. No matter how old his daughter got she would still be his little girl to him.<br>He knew he could trust Julia to be sensible. His reminder was more out of habit than anything else.  
>A short ride by commuter train later and Julia was in Middleton where her boyfriend waited on the platform.<br>After the required amounts of hugs and kisses the young couple set off to meet the rest of the Possible-family and the affiliated Stoppable.  
>As it turned out, Tim's fears of his parents embarrassing him seemed unfounded.<br>"Mom, dad, this is Julia."  
>"Hello, Julia. We've already talked on the phone, remember?"<br>"Oh yeah, you're Dr. Possible."  
>"And so am I." Ann said as they shook hands. "Except he's James and I'm Ann."<br>"And you already know, Jim."  
>"Yeah, hey Jim."<br>"And this is my sister, Kim."  
>"Hello. I'm Julia. I've seen you on TV You're kinda famous, right?."<br>"Oh, it's no big." Kim smiled modestly. "Those TV-guys are everywhere. They blow things out of proportions all the time."  
>"Saving the world isn't all that much out of proportions, sis." Tim said.<br>"Uh...hello? Two or three times, tops. So not braggable."  
>Julia giggled at the exchange.<br>"Don't forget me!" Ron shouted from the kitchen. "I was there too!"  
>"Oh yeah, that's Ron. Our chef for tonight."<br>A strange, high-pitched voice was heard from the kitchen as well, demanding recognition.  
>"And Rufus. He's a mole rat."<br>"Cool. I've seen those on Nature World. I didn't know they could talk."  
>"I think it's just Rufus who talks."<br>"Like a parrot, you mean?"  
>"No, no. He talks properly. For real."<br>"Wow."  
>While they waited for dinner to be served they assembled in the living room.<br>"So, Julia, what does your parents do?" Ann asked.  
>Tim nearly bit through his lip. He hadn't thought about his parents asking problematic questions.<br>"Dad sells office supplies and Doreen works part time at Tractor Emporium."  
>"Doreen's your mother?"<br>"No, she's dad's new wife but she's really nice."  
>To Tim's and Julia's, relief Ann didn't press the issue further but the topic of school came up instead.<br>Julia claimed she was very much an average student.  
>"I do good at languages though. I take French, Romanian, Italian and Spanish. Next year I'll study Portuguese as well."<br>"Oh my. That's a lot of languages." James said, sounding impressed.  
>"Yeah but they're all related so it gets pretty easy after a while."<br>"Linguistics is difficult. I think science is much easier." James confided. "Even as a little kid I thought so. Heck, my boys take after their old man that way."  
>"Oh, James it's not that hard. Kim took French and she picked up German in no time. All while she studied Law last year, remember?" Ann said.<br>"International Law, now that's hard." Kim agreed. "I thought my head would explode."  
>"Cool!" Jim and Tim said at the same time.<br>Kim pretended to take offence and everyone laughed together.  
>"Anyway, dad said I shouldn't care so much about science class. Languages are more important if you want to get a job these days."<br>Julia had begun to realize that her father's advice wasn't as selfless as she'd thought. He was afraid she'd turn out like her mother if she delved too deep into the scientific world. Julia obviously didn't say anything about that.  
>"Well now!" James crossed his arms and looked slightly upset. "Math just so happens to be the language of science and I don't see why that should get in the way of a good job."<br>"Take it easy dad." Tim interrupted before his dad went on a rant.  
>"So, Julia, what kind of TV-shows do you like?" Kim came to the rescue.<br>"Oh...uh... I watch 'Agony County'. Just to stay current, you see! It's not like I actually _like_ it."  
>"Pshyeah, I mean, who does?" Kim said but the girl and the young woman exchanged looks of understanding.<br>"And then I watch 'Pet Detectives: Go City'. I really shouldn't because I cry all the time when people are mean to animals but you know... I just can't help watching it."  
>"Ron watches that too." Kim confessed on her boyfriend's behalf. "He cries too."<br>"The twins like to watch Captain Carver and the Spacemonauts." Ann revealed.  
>"Mom!" the tweebs wailed in denial. "We just watch it to stay current too!"<br>"Oh is that why you record every episode?"  
>"Uh...yeah well we like to check for scientific errors."<br>To the tweebs' relief the talk about their favourite TV-show was interrupted by Ron who stuck his head in through the door and announced that dinner was served.  
>"You are going to love this!" Tim said to Julia. "Ron's like the King of Chefs or something."<br>"You said it, Tim." The 'king' in question said proudly. "And just you wait until the dessert is served."  
>Ron showed everyone that the title Tim had attributed to him was justified. Kim smiled proudly as her beloved boyfriend presented everyone with dish after delicious dish.<br>Tim was equally proud when he saw how impressed Julia was.  
>After the sumptuous meal Julia and Tim where ushered back to the living room despite Julia's offer to help with the dishes.<br>"No, no. This is your evening. I'll handle everything." Ron said.  
>Kim stayed behind as well.<br>"Ron? I thought you hated doing dishes?"  
>"I do." Ron grinned.<br>"And...?"  
>"And I still have two reasons for doing them."<br>"I can't wait to hear them."  
>"One: I'm a romantic and Tim and Julia make a cute couple, don't you agree? Why ruin their night with doing dishes?"<br>Kim nodded and smiled.  
>"OK, so far I guess I agree. What's the second reason?"<br>"Isn't it obvious? I get to spend some time with the girl I love, here where we have so many memories to share." He pulled Kim close and gave her a kiss.  
>"Doing dishes with the love of my life?" Kim's eyes glittered playfully. "Yeah, it beats an anniversary dinner at 'Bueno Nacho all-night buffet'."<br>"Hey!"

The afternoon turned to evening. Julia sat and listened to her boyfriend, his brother and their dad talk about all sorts of science stuff. Sometimes Ann would make a medical observation. It felt very nice. Being surrounded people who had answers for everything made her feel safe and happy but also a little bit jealous. She wanted to be part of this strange and wonderful world that Tim had begun to show her existed.  
>She curled up on the couch and leaned her head on Tim's shoulder, just enjoying the sound of his voice. Without really thinking about it, Tim put his arm around her. Julia closed her eyes and felt very happy.<br>"Tim, I think we're boring poor Julia to sleep." Ann noted.  
>"What? Oh, sorry, Julia. I didn't mean to ignore you like that."<br>"No, it's OK. I just... uh..." Julia blushed. "I don't mind at all."  
>Julia wasn't sure how to explain her relationship with the language of science so she did what she thought best: She went quiet.<br>Tim misinterpreted her silence and fussed over her until he was certain she wasn't bored or offended.  
>Eventually it was time for Julia to catch the last train to Lowerton and Tim insisted he'd follow her to the station.<br>Tim's parents watched them as they walked away, hand in hand.  
>"Kind of reminds me of us on our first dates, don't you think?" Ann said softly to her husband.<br>"Mhm...although were were at least a few years older, I think they make a good couple."  
>"They certainly got together a lot faster than Kimmie and Ron did."<br>"Haha, yes those two sure took their time."  
>Ann raised her voice a little.<br>"I just hope they won't take just as long to give me some grandchildren."  
>"I heard that, mom!" Kim shouted from inside.<p>

After she had come home Julia spent some time with her Carl and Doreen, telling them about her evening. Her father and stepmother smiled as Julia made use of lavish amounts of superlatives to describe her boyfriend and what a great evening she'd had with him and his family.  
>When Julia had gone up to her room Carl laughed.<br>"Ah, to be young and in love."  
>Later when she was sure Carl and Doreen were asleep Julia got out of bed. She went to her wardrobe and dug out an old cardboard box. It was her secret treasure. Julia had found the box in the attic one spring when they had been looking for stuff to give to charity. She had never told her dad or anyone else about it.<br>Julia had held on to the box and it's contents for years out of sheer nostalgia. They had been a reminder of when she was little and when her mother still lived with them.  
>Now they would be her key to Tim's wonderful world of over-the-top science.<br>She knew she'd be in trouble if her dad found out. Probably more trouble if her mother found out. Still, Tim was worth the risk, Julia reasoned.  
>Carefully she took out one of the notebooks and read on the cover.<br>_"__Veronica's Secret Notes, Volume I. Don't read!"_  
>The handwriting was precise and clear. The handwriting of a girl who had been about Julia's age when she had started to compile these notes.<br>Julia opened the book.  
>By the light of her bedside lamp she quietly read the first headline:<br>"_How to weaponize kitchen appliances."_


	11. Chapter 11

**Go City Friday Fight**

At the same time Julia went to visit the Possibles, her mother stepped off the train at Go City.  
>On a whim she had decided to go visit Hego unannounced. A surprise date. It was about as adventuresome as she could allow herself to be and besides she had come up with a plan on the train ride. Old habits die hard and she had yet to arrive at the headquarters of Team Go without at least one ace up her sleeve. It wasn't an evil plan but a plan nonetheless.<br>She decided to walk because the spring sun was warm and on her current level of income, Electronique didn't feel like spending money on a taxi ride anyway. Besides it was unlikely that any cabbie would want to give one of Go City's very own and worst super villains a ride, even if she was on parole. It had been a while since she had walked through the city. Some things had changed but not much.  
>Even though she considered herself 'Villain Number One' of Go City she also considered the city her home. Go City was <em>her<em> city, this was home. It didn't take long for someone to recognize her and a few minutes later a CGPD black-and-white was tailing her.  
>"<em>My very own welcoming committee."<em> She was amused. "_I hope they don't call Hego and spoil the surprise."_  
>Her ego was flattered whenever someone recognized her and shied away from her. Electronique was so wrapped up in her own sense of self-importance that she didn't pay attention to the fact that people seemed to hurry past her, away from the square up ahead.<br>In the patrol car behind her, officers Levitt and Wright had done their best to keep their distance.  
>"So, tell me again, why are we following blue chicks these days?" Wright asked his older colleague. "Nice though the view is."<br>"That 'blue chick' is Electronique. Even to an out-of-towner like you that should ring a few bells."  
>"Yeah it sure does. I've read up on the files but she looks a lot different than in the mug shots. So why don't we go and arrest her?"<br>"Three reasons. One: She hasn't done anything illegal. Two: I don't like to get electrocuted. Three: We just got a call from Dispatch and as you can see she's heading straight for Market Square."  
>"What of it?"<br>"Captain Coconut is on the loose again and I want to see what that moron is going to do when he meets an old school villainess."  
>Levitt chuckled with barely restrained glee.<p>

Electronique had stopped and bought a milkshake. The sun shone and the breeze made her dress flutter around her shapely, blue legs. It was a lovely spring day and without any immediate cares in the world she rounded the corner into Market Square.  
>She noticed there were not all that many people in the square despite the stalls and vending booths. In fact there were no shoppers or shopkeepers in sight at all. There was a pile of forcibly opened cash boxes in the middle of the square however. Something was obviously wrong.<br>Electronique found out exactly how wrong things were when something large and round with robotic legs and arms stepped out from between two stalls.  
>"Hey, Lady! Give me your bag!"<br>It was none other than moderately infamous Captain Coconut.  
>Electronique blinked behind her goggles. She looked up and down the powered suit of armour. It looked like the offspring between a huge coconut and a cheap 'Transformer' knock-off. A small vision slit at the front allowed the pilot some limited vision.<br>From what she saw of the electronic patterns it was quite an invention. Efficient power actuators made it reasonably fast and probably very strong. She had spotted one or two flaws in the design when her scrutiny was interrupted.  
>"Hey! Didn't you hear me? Give me your handbag!"<br>Electronique nodded slowly as if pondering a reply.  
>Somehow Electronique found this Captain Coconut-character and his behaviour offensive. Although certainly a criminal, he simply lacked that certain audacious, grandiose spark a true villain should have. Aviarius, Drakken, Dementor even that Lucre-guy she had read about, had that spark to some extent.<br>Captain Coconut came across as a petty robber and nothing more. There was no way she would surrender her handbag to someone like that.  
>"How about... No."<br>Electronique cocked her hip and shifted her weight to be able to dodge better as she waited for Captain Coconut's response.  
>"You dare defy Captain Coconut?"<br>"Do you know who I am?" Electronique asked in return. She was becoming increasingly irritated. Her reply and the faintly threatening tone seemed to confuse her armoured opponent.  
>"Who you are? I don't care. You're...uh...some, blue old lady giving me attitude! Now give me that!" He lunged for her with a mechanized arm.<br>"_Old lady?" _That did it. There was no way Electronique would let Captain Coconut get away with that.  
>The mechanical claw moved with enough speed to catch any normal person.<br>Electronique, however, was far from normal. She had spent years fighting super powered heroes, dodging shanks in prison and she even had held her ground for several minutes against a certain sidekick under the evil influence known as Zorpox the Conqueror.  
>She jumped backwards and sideways to avoid the robotic claw and ended outside Captain Coconut's field of vision, just as planned. When her opponent turned around to find her she simply stepped sideways a bit faster eventually ending up right behind Captain Coconut.<br>"Hey! Come back and fight like a man...uh...I mean, fight like a woman!" The outraged Captain shouted.  
>Electronique had no intention whatsoever do to that. She had a plan, handily served on a silver platter by Captain Coconut's very own design flaw.<br>He was obviously an engineer of some kind and he had built his battle suit to be easy to service and repair. All the fuses were mounted behind a small hatch at the back of the armour. Hidden underneath the _faux_ coconut fuzz it was difficult to spot, but for someone able to see electric currents it was a lot easier.  
>Electronique flipped the hatch open and yanked out the entire fuse array, shutting down the entire Coconut-suit.<br>"I've got you n...what did you do?"  
>The surprised and disappointed cry was followed a satisfying crash as Captain Coconut toppled over and ended up on his back.<br>"That's cheating! Just you wait until I get my...uh...Hello? Are you still there?"  
>"Here I am."<br>Electronique jumped up and sat on the 'chest' of the coconut armour.  
>"Oh...well, as I was saying, just you wait until glrugh! Glargh!"<br>Electronique was not interested in hearing more. She had held on to her milkshake throughout the brief scuffle and now emptied the remaining contents down the small vision port.  
>"Listen very closely, you silly little man." She snarled over the coughs and splutters from inside the suit. "I have three things to tell you."<br>"Wh...what?"  
>"One: I am thirty seven."<br>"But..?"  
>"Thirty seven is not old. Yes?"<br>"Yes ma'am." All the bluster had gone out of Captain Coconut by now.  
>"<em>I hope he doesn't start to cry. That would be too embarrassing." <em>Electronique thought before she went on.  
>"Two: You are not a proper villain. You are dirt under my shoe and I just scraped you off."<br>She jumped down from the suit and leaned closer to whisper into the vision port. She spoke slowly and distinctly, extremely menacing.  
>"Three, and you'd better remember this: I. Am. Electronique."<br>With an arrogant toss of her head she walked away from the prone Captain Coconut.  
>She had walked less than a dozen yards before she noticed people coming into the square from all directions. CGPD were the first to reach Captain Coconut. They had even brought a handy cart to pull the armoured coconut suit on.<br>Electronique heard one of them say:  
>"That's another citizen's milkshake you've got all over your face, son. That makes it theft."<br>It wasn't until she heard what people were saying about her and until she saw the looks on their faces that Electronique began to lose her nerve.  
>"That showed him!"<br>"Didn't even break a sweat!"  
>"See? That's our Electronique!"<br>"Look, dad! She's a proper villain isn't she?"  
>"Yes honey. Electronique is one of Go City's worst and most dangerous. She belongs here as much as Team Go or the Go City Rangers."<br>"Girl power!"  
>Even the cops were grinning and didn't look hostile at all.<br>"_They...they're treating me as a hero!" _Electronique was horrified, insulted and disgusted at the same time.  
>"<em>This isn't right! I'm a villain! This is so sick and wrong on so many levels!"<em>  
>Electronique did the only thing she could think of. She locked her features in a sneer and stalked off with as much fake indifference as she could muster.<br>Once she was out of sight from the crowd Electronique picked up her pace and hurried towards the marina.

The cheers of the crowd had hurt more than any punch from an opponent could. It was a direct attack on her sense of self and what made up a major part of her identity. What was even worse was that it reminded her of what it had been like when she had been under the influence of the Attitudinator.  
>Back at the time Electronique had felt like she watched herself be all good and obedient and benevolent. It had been like being locked up inside her own skull and her body being controlled by someone else in some sort of perverse nightmare.<br>It made her feel sick. And now the adoration of the crowd had made her feel like that again. Like she had the perceived view of herself dictated by outside forces beyond her control.  
>When she reached the marina her legs were so shaky that she had to sit down on a bench.<br>"_Those...people! How dare they!"_ Electronique was outraged. At first she contemplated throwing all caution to the winds and violate her parole just to get back at the people of Go City.  
>Then another thought struck her. Like all villains, Electronique was essentially self-centred with very few exceptions. Up until now Julia had been Electronique's sole exception. But over the last months she had started to care for someone else as well. Electronique forced herself to admit that she had fallen in love with Hego, her enemy. For the first time ever, she felt bad for what she had done to someone else, other than Julia.<br>"_I made him evil. And his brothers. He cares a lot about family. If it was as bad for him to be evil as it was for me to be good..."_  
>Electronique shook her head, trying to rid her mind of all the worst-case scenarios.<br>It took her a long time to make up her mind about what to do.  
>The tourist season hadn't started and the little ferry that carried tourists out to the islet where Go Tower was located didn't run regular tours yet.<br>When the captain saw the blue-skinned woman with the goggles coming straight for him he knew right away who she was.  
>"E..e...Electronique!"<br>"The same. How much for a ticket?"  
>"The ferry doesn't...wait? You want to pay the fare?"<br>Electronique waved a bill in front of the man as a reply.  
>"Let me get this straight. You, Electronique, wants to <em>pay<em> for the fare so that I can ship you over to the headquarters of Team Go?"  
>"Yes! Is it so hard to understand? Take the money!"<br>The man was more unnerved by Electronique's weird and unusual behaviour than he would have been if she had simply threatened him or hijacked the ferry.  
>"Uh...ah...Yes, yes of course."<p>

Electronique stepped ashore on Go Island. Behind her the ferry set out back to sea again. There would be no turning back now.  
>"<em>I fought an armoured moron less than an hour ago and it barely raised my pulse."<em> Electronique was getting annoyed with her nervousness. "_Get a grip! You're acting like a frightened schoolgirl, not like the world-class villainess you're supposed to be! You're just going to apologize to him. There is nothing to it!" _She scolded herself.

Except, of course, there was something to it. If there is one thing villains loathe it is to apologize. It is not in the nature of the villainous mind to beg forgiveness. Blame others, make up excuses and dodge the long arm of the Law, were, but not apologizing for old wrongs.

Yet here she was, about to do just that.  
>As she walked up the path to Go Tower she stopped several times. Only her ego and the fact that the ferry was gone made her overcome her own hesitation.<br>"_What if I remind him of what I did by apologizing? He never mentioned it before, perhaps he forgot? Maybe he doesn't forgive me? What do I do then?"_  
>Electronique had reached the big, reinforced doors to Go Tower. There was a small box by the side of the door which she knew served as an identifier of the members of Team Go and it also served as a lock.<br>On an impulse she picked up her pocket toolkit from her handbag.  
>"<em>It's electronic. I could easily run a bypass."<em>  
>With a sigh she returned the toolkit to the bag.<br>"_And that would be 'Breaking and Entering' at the very least and I'd be on my way back to the Bitch Bin within the hour."_  
>She took a deep breath to bolster her courage.<br>"_Let's do this, Electronique."_  
>She rang the doorbell. <p>


	12. Chapter 12

**Time together**

When the door bell rang, Hego assumed it was one of his brothers who couldn't be bothered to use the ID-plate as usual. Annoyed he switched the speaker on.  
>"Activate your power and the door will open. How hard can it be?"<br>There was a moment of silence before Electronique's voice responded.  
>"Just open the door, Hego." Then, as if with an afterthought: "Please?"<br>When he heard it was Electronique Hego hurried down to the door to meet her.  
>"Hey, welcome! I wasn't expecting you." He began.<br>"Good. I wanted to surprise you."  
>Hego looked at her. Her posture and tone of voice told him something was not right.<br>"Electronique? What's wrong?" He asked as they walked through the corridors to Hego's part of Go Tower.  
>"I ran into that Captain Coconut guy and..."<br>She didn't get much further when Hego's booming voice interrupted her.  
>"What did that fiend to to you? Did he hurt you? Why, I'll..."<br>Hego didn't get to reveal what he was going to do to Captain Coconut. Now it was Electronique's turn to interrupt.  
>"What? If I didn't know you better I'd think you insulted me on purpose!"<br>"Insult you? But I just..."  
>"Do you really think that a guy dressed like a nut would be a threat to me? Really, Hego?"<br>"I was just worried about you!"  
>Electronique sighed.<br>"And I appreciate that, I really do. But that's what I was trying to tell you, I took care of him."  
>Hego gasped and held one finger to his head, mimicking a gun.<br>"Took 'care' of?"  
>"No. Not this time. I just shut his suit down and poured my milkshake down his vision port. Then the cops came and picked him up."<br>Hego looked relieved.  
>"All's well that ends well, right?"<br>"But people saw me do it!"  
>"What's the harm in that? It's not like you did something bad, right? Since you're here and not on your way back to prison I assume everyone was fine with what you did, even the police."<br>Electronique nodded but looked uncomfortable.  
>"That's the problem. They were fine with it. People even cheered me, can you believe that?"<br>"Sure I can. They cheer for Team Go all the time." Hego smiled proudly.  
>"But that's Team Go, not Electronique."<br>"I don't understand why you let it bother you so much. I wish I could say something to help you but I don't know what."  
>Electronique looked up at Hego. She bit her lower lip and for a brief moment her voice trembled. "Remember the Reverse Polarizer? The Attitudinator?"<br>"Yeah, why?"  
>"Do you remember what it felt like to be...affected by it?"<br>"Oh yes." Hego shuddered. "Wouldn't want that to happen again. Creepy."  
>"It felt like that all over again."<br>"But this must've been different? I mean you did something good and..."  
>"It is not different, it's not. I didn't do it to be good. I did it for me. It was about me all the time and people still treated me like a hero!"<br>Hego nodded quietly. Although he couldn't understand what was wrong about being cheered as a hero he could relate to how it felt to do things contrary to one's nature.  
>"Why don't we sit down?" He gently ushered Electronique to the couch. "You're letting this get to you enough to get me worried."<br>They sat down, side by side. There was an awkward silence for a few moments.  
>"Are you OK?" Hego asked after a while.<br>Electronique nodded.  
>"I'm sorry." She said and she meant it.<br>That caught Hego by surprise.  
>"You're...sorry? For what?"<br>"For coming here and get all upset and I'm sorry for using the Attitudinator on you and your family."  
>"Now I know you're upset. The Electronique I know never apologized about anything."<br>He'd meant it as a small joke but the wound-up Electronique didn't take it as such. She got up and glared at him.  
>"If you don't like it then maybe you shouldn't have made me fall in love with you in the first place!"<br>A fraction of a second later the realised she was being unfair to him. Embarrassed, she turned her back to him.  
>Behind her Hego sat quiet for a moment and then she heard the faint rustle of cloth as he got to his feet.<br>Electronique felt his hands on her arms as he stood behind her. Hego's breath was warm on her neck and ear as he leaned down and softly said:  
>"I won't apologize for that. You did the same to me."<br>She slowly turned to face him.  
>"I did?"<br>Hego smiled and nodded.  
>"Yes you did."<br>Once again an there was a silence that threatened to become awkward. Both waited for the other to do or say something.  
>"I've wanted to do this for a long time now." Hego finally said and kissed her.<br>At first Electronique was too surprised to react but that soon changed. She put her arms around Hego's neck and pulled him closer.  
>The kiss grew more passionate and Electronique pushed Hego back, towards the couch. He responded eagerly, his desire flaring up as strong as hers. Then his knee got hooked on the arm rest of the couch and he promptly fell over, pulling Electronique with him.<br>Fortunately Electronique landed on top of Hego but the entire situation was very undignified and the passionate mood evaporated.  
>Hego looked at Electronique and she looked back at him then they both began to laugh.<br>Once they had managed to stop laughing they spent a moment, Electronique on top of Hego, looking at each other.  
>"Are those your hands?" She asked.<br>"Yes. Is this your butt?" Hego replied.  
>The exchange caused another bout of laughter and it was only after some time that they got off the floor and straightened their clothes.<br>"Yes, well...I guess I made a fool out of myself there." Hego said with a sheepish grin.  
>"Us. <em>We<em> made fools of _us_." Electronique corrected him. "Neither of us are alone any more, remember?"  
>Her smile when she looked at him made Hego decide that all those years of fighting Electronique had been worth it all, for leading up to this moment.<br>"So...what now?" With the previous passionate mood dissipated Hego didn't know how to react. Neither was Electronique by the looks of it.  
>"How about we sort of start over again from when I just got here?" She suggested. "Without me being upset, I mean."<br>"Sounds like a plan! How about something to eat? Are you hungry?" Hego offered.  
>"I thought you'd never ask. I've only had breakfast and half a milkshake. The rest was wasted on Coconut-loser-guy."<br>Hego lead the way, showing Electronique the private sections of Go Tower.  
>"Here's the kitchen. State of the art, if I may say so myself. Just don't go turn the blender into a weapon, ha ha!"<br>"Actually I had a notebook on stuff like that when I was a kid."  
>"Really?"<br>"Yeah. Other girls wrote diaries. I had my secret notebooks on how to weaponize everything from egg beaters to vacuum cleaners." Electronique chuckled at the memories. "Of course these days I mostly work by inspired creativity alone."  
>"Inspired destructivity you mean. So where are those notebooks now?"<br>"Oh, I lost them years ago. They're probably recycled by now. It's not like anyone would want to read a girl's scribbles even if they were still around."  
>Together they made a light lunch while chatting about all manner of things. Both knew there were still some things that needed to be addressed but they both avoided the topics for now.<p>

Afternoon became evening and evening slowly began to turn into night.  
>Hego and Electronique were back in the couch again, his arm around her as she leaned close to him, resting her head on his broad chest.<br>"Fourteen months."  
>"Hmm?"<br>"We have fourteen months before your parole expires, right?"  
>"Yes."<br>"Then what?"  
>"You mean, will we have to be enemies again?"<br>"Yes, I hope we won't have to be."  
>Electronique bent her neck in an awkward angle to look up at Hego.<br>"That would mean that you would have to give up being good or I would have to give up being evil. Do you really think that will happen?"  
>Hego shook his head sadly.<br>"No, I guess I don't."  
>Electronique smiled gently.<br>"Besides, it's the good Hego I'm in love with."  
>"So you don't mind me being good?" Hego's smile returned.<br>"I wouldn't want you any other way. And besides, would you want me any different from the way I am? Honestly?"  
>Hego didn't have to think long before he replied.<br>"No, I wouldn't. I love the Electronique I've gotten to know over the years."  
>Electronique rolled over and looked up at him as she walked her fingers up his chest.<br>"Ooh! So the hero of Go City loves bad girls, hmm?"  
>"No. I love <em>a<em> bad girl. There is a difference."  
>Electronique laughed, got up and straddled across Hego's legs.<br>On an impulse he put his hand son her hips. She didn't object.  
>"Remember back at Paul Bunyan's? When I told you about why I liked being a villain?"<br>"About matching wits against the heroes and plans and stuff? Yeah, I remember that."  
>Electronique nodded and pulled her goggles off, looking Hego in the eyes.<br>"Do you really think I'd come to the lair of my nemesis without a plan?"  
>Hego blinked. That warm tension between them was back.<br>"What's your plan then, lovely arch foe of mine?"  
>"It's simple, really. I came up with it on my way to Go City." She reached up and pushed one strap of her dress off the shoulder.<br>"I plan to stay for the night." She pushed the other strap off. The dress sank down around her hips.  
>Hego raised his hands and began working the clasp of her bra as Electronique's fingers hurriedly began to unbutton his shirt.<br>"Oh no." Hego said with a smile as he raised himself to meet Electronique's kiss. "I failed to foil your plan."

Mego arrived at Go Tower fairly late in the morning to pick up his laundry. He didn't consider it unfair to leave the work to his older brother. After all he did study hard and he had little time for domestic tasks. He was pleasantly surprised when he got to the kitchen and noted that two coffee mugs were already in place on a tray.  
>Someone obscured by the large door to the fridge was rummaging through the refrigerator.<br>"Hey, you actually thought about making breakfast for me too!" Mego called out to whom he assumed to be his brother.  
>He picked a mug up and was about to fill it with coffee from the pot when a blue-grey hand snatched it from his grip.<br>"Not for you."  
>The voice, the goggles and colour of her skin were dead give-aways.<br>"Electronique!" Mego jumped back and assumed a martial stance as the villainess disregarded him and poured coffee into both mugs.  
>The expected fight did not happen as Electronique placed the mugs on the tray along with some other breakfast articles and walked off towards Hego's bedroom.<br>Most of the fight left Mego when he realized that Electronique wore his brother's shirt and _very _little else.  
>Mego was left standing mouth wide open and it was only after a while his brain began to assemble coherent thoughts again.<br>Although he was self-centred and full of himself, Mego actually cared deeply about his brothers (and his sister, even though they had parted on less than friendly terms). If his family's arch nemesis was in Go Tower, Mego reasoned, she must have done something to Hego.  
>He took a few deep breaths, braced himself and stalked over to Hego's bedroom door and pulled it open. Mego assumed hos best dramatic pose and loudly demanded:<br>"What have you done to my brother, you fiend?"  
>There was an embarrassing silence.<br>Hego and Electronique were sitting together, having breakfast in bed, barely dressed. They both looked at Mego who finally realised what the proverbial sitch was.  
>Electronique was the first to speak.<br>"I haven't done anything that is your business." Her voice was as snarky and cold as ever.  
>Before Wego could come up with a witty reply, Hego spoke up.<br>"Mego, don't you know how to knock?"  
>"I..uh... yeah, I do." Mego was utterly bewildered by now and having Hego reprimand him was too much. "I think I'll...I'll go and make some breakfast for me too, OK? Uh...bye?"<br>Mego closed the door and wandered back to the kitchen on shaky legs.  
>Behind the closed door Hego held back a hearty laugh with great difficulty. After all, it wasn't heroic to make fun of his brother's discomfort. Electronique had no such compunctions and only stopped laughing when she noticed Hego's disapproving frown.<br>She lifted her goggles to wipe tears of laughter from her eyes.  
>"I won't apologize for laughing because I'm not the least sorry." She kissed Hego. "But because I know how important family is to you, I will try to behave."<br>"That's all I ask of you."  
>They finished the breakfast in the comfortable silence of adults in love.<br>"Let me get the dishes. I think I need to have a talk with Mego anyway." Hego said when they were done.  
>Electronique stretched and nodded.<br>"Do you mind if I use your shower?"  
>"Not at all. Maybe I'll join you next time." Hego winked.<br>"I was hoping you'd say that."

When Electronique emerged, dressed and freshly showered, Hego had just finished explaining the situation to Mego. The purple-skinned Go-brother had his arms crossed and was obviously in a sulking mood. Hego took that as a good sign. He knew Mego wasn't in too bad a condition if he could find the energy to sulk.  
>"Will he be all right?" Electronique asked.<br>"Yeah, he's grumpy again."  
>"Give your girlfriend a ride ashore?" Electronique held out her arm for him.<br>"Girlfriend? I like the sound of that." He hooked his arm in her and walked her down to the little dock.  
>The Go Boat quickly brought hero and villainess to the mainland.<br>"So...now that you're my boyfriend, how about you come to my place next week?"  
>"I'd love to. Friday afternoon?"<br>"Perfect. And don't worry, I have a shower too."  
>Hego couldn't see it through her goggles but he could imagine her winking behind the dark glass.<br>They embraced and spent a while kissing each other good bye.  
>Eventually they had to separate and did so with obvious reluctance.<br>"Fourteen months." Hego said.  
>"Fourteen months for us." Electronique gave him one last kiss and walked down the pier.<br>Hego was about to get back into the Go Boat when he heard the woman he'd fallen for call his name.  
>"Hego?" Electronique's smile was warm and held promise for their future, come what may.<br>"Yes?"  
>"Thanks."<br>Hego was confused.  
>"Thanks for what?"<br>His arch foe blew him a kiss.  
>"Thanks for being my enemy."<p>

**The End.**


End file.
